In September 2016, 4-year-old Lucas and his family were getting ready to travel to the United States from Chile for their family vacation. With their passports in hand, the family was just weeks away from traveling when Lucas began having pains in his stomach. Initially, doctors in Chile diagnosed Lucas with an infection and sent him home. But a few days later, the pain returned, and this time doctors suspected a mass. Within days, scans revealed Lucas suffered from neuroblastoma.
Doctors immediately referred Lucas to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for his continuing treatment and care. “All of the doctors in Chile agreed that St. Jude was the best place for Lucas,” said his dad, Carlos. “The work being done at St. Jude is years ahead of anything being done in Chile.” At St. Jude, Lucas’ treatment includes chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumor.
St. Jude freely shares the discoveries it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.
Even as he continues to undergo treatment, Lucas has remained positive and upbeat. “He’s a really happy and outgoing boy,” said his mother, Daniela. “The staff at St. Jude has done a great job making everything easier for him and helping him feel comfortable.”
Lucas is an avid soccer fan and likes to cheer for his favorite soccer club in Chile. “He likes all things soccer,” said Carlos. Recently, he was joined at St. Jude by his older sister, Sofia, who arrived after completing the school year in Chile. “When Sofia arrived, Lucas was really happy,” said Daniela. “They’re inseparable.”
Lucas is responding well to treatment and the family is thankful for the care and support they’ve received. “All of the doctors and nurses at St. Jude have been phenomenal and continue to be with us every step of the way,” said Carlos. “We’ve never seen anything like this."
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means families, like Lucas', 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 Diego
A 14-year-old who loves math and playing the ukulele, Diego came to St. Jude from his home country of El Salvador where he was diagnosed with leukemia.
-
Meet Easton
When patient Easton and his family learned of his diagnosis of metastatic cancer when he was fifteen months, they had little to hope for by way of a cure.
-
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
June is a cheerful, busy girl who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at an early age. Today, she's able to continue treatment at a St. Jude affiliate clinic near her home.
-
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 Johan
Johan is a 7-year-old boy who loves sports and studying math. In January 2018, he was referred to St. Jude after a diagnostic revealed he had leukemia.
-
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 had 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.
