In August 2014, Mabry developed an ear infection she couldn’t shake. Then, her face swelled. Tests soon revealed Mabry suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a type of blood cancer.
“You feel like you’re in a dream,” Mabry’s mom, Jenny, said. “We were in complete shock.”
Mabry was immediately sent to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she is undergoing two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90 percent within the next decade. At St. Jude, we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.
Mabry’s sunny disposition hasn’t waned during treatment.
“She’s so sweet,” Jenny said. “She’s always happy, always in a good mood. The kids here don’t feel sorry for themselves. They just keep going and don’t skip a beat.
Mabry’s parents are grateful for everything St. Jude provides. “There’s so much support from the doctors and nurses,” Jenny said. “There are parent mentor programs and play groups. Everyone here cares about your child.”
Mabry, who is now 3, loves to dress up like a princess. When she’s at the hospital, she likes to visit the fountain near the Danny Thomas/ALSAC Pavilion and pick flowers.
The kids here don’t feel sorry for themselves. They just keep going and don’t skip a beat.
Show your support for patients like Mabry who are battling life-threatening illnesses.
Meet more patients
-
Meet Ethan
Six-year-old Ethan was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2012. "We are so grateful for St. Jude," says his mom.
-
Meet Sebastian
Nothing prepared Sebastian's family for the day they learned he suffered from a rare brain tumor. “We’re grateful there is a place like St. Jude,” said his mom.
-
Meet Kayla and Kevin
Kayla loves holding her dad Kevin’s hand as they walk through the hallways of St. Jude. The two share a unique bond: They’re both St. Jude patients.
-
Meet Gayatri
When Gayatri was found to suffer from cancer, her father, an oncologist at a public hospital in India, knew that he wanted his daughter treated at St. Jude.
-
Meet Yamila
Yamila has been fighting cancer since age 3. “We were losing hope,” says her mom. “The only thing left to do was a bone marrow transplant.”
-
Meet Slade
Slade is an old soul who loves reptiles, especially his pet leopard gecko, Leo. Two days before Thanksgiving, an unexpected diagnosis changed his life.
