Landon has always been an athletic kid. He played baseball and started running 5K races with his grandmother. He was hooked after his first race. Not only did Landon like running, but he also developed a love for competing in triathlons for kids, which include a 100 meter swim, a three-mile bike ride and a one-mile run.
But during the summer of 2015, Landon slowed down. He started to complain of stomach pains, which worsened over time. When tests revealed Landon had a tumor identified as stage IV neuroblastoma, his family was devastated. Landon and his mom, Charlee, were flown to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital immediately.
Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since we opened more than 50 years ago. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90%, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.
At St. Jude, Landon’s treatment included chemotherapy, antibody treatment and radiation therapy, as well as his dad’s natural killer (NK) cells. Landon also did physical therapy, which helped him regain his strength and agility. His love of running and playing baseball compelled him to work hard during his sessions.
“We’re grateful to St. Jude for everything,” said Charlee. “They made it so much easier for us. As soon as we got here, there was a plan. They know what needs to be done and they do it. That takes a lot off a parent’s shoulder.”
Since finishing treatment in November, Landon is thriving. He's on his school’s honor roll and has a new dog to play with, but what he’s really looking forward to is getting back to sports. Landon and his family are signed up to run a 5K in April and, after that, it will be time for Landon to start baseball. “He likes being outdoors and playing with his friends,” Charlee said. “He wants to be the best at whatever he does.”
Landon returns to St. Jude for regular checkups.
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means families, like Landon's, never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food — because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
Meet more patients
-
Meet Nikalis
Nikalis is a 6-year-old boy who loves playing with his five siblings. When he was only 10 months old, Nikalis was diagnosed with a rare genetic condition called Li Fraumeni.
-
Meet June
When Tammy's parents discovered he had anaplastic ependymoma, a type of brain tumor, they turned to St. Jude for their son's treatment.
-
Meet Tina
Tina was referred to St. Jude after she was found to have a brain tumor. St. Jude has given her family hope.
-
Meet Katie
When Katie was diagnosed with medulloblastoma, her family searched for a place where they would receive exemplary care. They didn't have to look far before finding St. Jude.
-
Meet Hadley
Hadley and her family weren't expecting to experience hope when she was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia, but that's what they found at St. Jude.
-
Meet Woods
Woods was 3 years old when he was diagnosed with brain cancer. He is being treated at St. Jude, where his family will never receive a bill.
-
Meet Zahaan
Zahaan is a special boy from Singapore who shows a remarkable concern for others, even in the midst of battling medulloblastoma at St. Jude.
-
Meet Emma
Nothing seems to get in the way of this little girl and her passion for barrel racing. And, with the help of St. Jude supporters, Emma is back in the saddle again.
-
Meet Ari'yanna
Ari'Yanna and her mom, D'Yana, are navigating the difficult, and at times painful, journey of sickle cell disease with St. Jude by their side.
-
Meet Cameron
Cameron is an exceptionally caring boy. During treatment for medulloblastoma, he became known around St. Jude for his magnetic smile.
-
Meet Tony
Tony wasn’t quite a year old when his family learned he suffered from ALL, a type of blood cancer. At St. Jude, he began chemotherapy immediately.
-
Meet Myra
Myra was experiencing severe headaches, and it was discovered to be a rare form of lymphoma called primary CNS ALCL.
-
Meet Harper
When Harper and her family discovered she had cancer, they approached her treatment like they approach sports — with the determination that she could beat it.
-
Meet Joanna
In 2017, 9-year-old Joanna was found to have medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer, and began treatment at St. Jude.
-
Meet Zac
By the age of 7, Zac had already completed treatment for blood cancer. Four years later, when he was diagnosed with bone cancer, his family turned to St. Jude.
