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 Scarlet
At St. Jude, Scarlet and her mom lived at Target House for half a year while Scarlet was in treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. Her family never received a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. .
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Meet Gabe
When the lights on the tree hurt Gabe’s eyes last Christmas, his mom knew something was wrong.
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Meet Calvin
At St. Jude, Calvin underwent chemotherapy, proton therapy and radiation treatments for rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue. He continues to receive treatment at St. Jude, having experienced a recurrence of cancer in 2020.
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Meet Lydia
Lydia has an unusual hobby for a kid her age: reading scholarly articles in medical journals. But not just any articles. She’s interested in those authored by Dr. Gajjar, the man – along with nurses and researchers and others at St. Jude – working to save her life.
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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
Over Christmas 2020, something was wrong with then one-year-old Mikayla. Referred to St. Jude, her cancer was identified as acute myeloid leukemia. Mikayla successfully underwent chemotherapy.
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Meet Weiming
Weiming was diagnosed with a rare disease, an immunodeficiency known as bubble boy disease and came to St. Jude at just four months from his home country of China.
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Meet Twila
Twila was brought to her local hospital for an ear infection. When the pain didn’t resolve, doctors ran tests and found brain cancer. She was referred to St. Jude and placed on a treatment plan.
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Meet Avyan
Avyan carries himself with confidence and strength beyond his years. His manner has given fortitude to his family as they walk through an unimaginable reality.
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Meet Jose
After he was born, José stopped eating and lost much weight. A local doctor confirmed he had brain cancer. Surgery was performed to remove a brain mass and he was referred to St. Jude.
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Meet Carl
At 3 years old, Carl had leg pain and his belly began to swell. He had a cancerous tumor above a kidney. He was referred to St. Jude where he received treatment.
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Meet Ay'Den
Ay'Den is a kind boy with an easy smile. When he collapsed, his family was afraid he had COVID-19. Ay'Den would be diagnosed with leukemia and referred to St. Jude.
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Meet Myla
Myla’s mom found that her little girl wasn’t feeling well. Rushed to St. Jude, four-year-old Myla was diagnosed with a blood cancer called acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.
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Meet Brayden
Brayden received chemotherapy as well as proton therapy for medulloblastoma at the first proton therapy center in the world dedicated solely to children.
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Meet Eli
At just 6 years old, Eli was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. His family was referred to St. Jude for his treatment and Eli underwent surgery to remove the tumor and a portion of his tibia.