This year, Elizabeth wants to dress up like a lion for Halloween. “She likes lions because they’re big and have manes and are orange,” her mom said. “She wants to roar loudly like a lion while she’s trick-or-treating.”
Elizabeth’s parents are grateful she’s happy and thriving. In August 2013, tests revealed Elizabeth suffered from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, a type of blood cancer. Elizabeth’s doctor immediately referred her to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, where she began two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy.
St. Jude patient Elizabeth in her Halloween costume in 2015.
During Elizabeth’s first year of treatment, she was inpatient during Halloween. Her mother remembers the bright, cheerful Halloween-themed drawings on the windows in the hallways outside of her hospital room. It was a way for St. Jude staff to bring Halloween to the kids who weren’t able to trick-or-treat. “People at St. Jude love their jobs, and they’re great with the kids,” said Elizabeth’s mom. “And that made it so much easier to be here.”
Elizabeth recently finished treatment and now visits St. Jude for regular checkups. Her family is grateful for how well she’s doing today. “Thanks to the people who donate to St. Jude, children who were never going to have a chance in life now have a chance,” said her mom. Because the majority of St. Jude funding comes from everyday people, St. Jude has the freedom to focus on what matters most — saving kids regardless of their financial situation.
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means families, like Elizabeth'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
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Meet Patient Lucas
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Meet Scarlet
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Meet Calvin
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Meet Lydia
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Meet Gracie
Gracie was eight months old when she was diagnosed with blood cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and physical, occupational and speech therapies at St. Jude.
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Meet Patient Mikayla
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Meet Weiming
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