"When we heard the word 'cancer,' we felt sad and weak," said Angel, Mayela's dad. "Our hearts broke for the pain and suffering our daughter would have to face."
Mayela began treatment in Puerto Rico for acute myeloid leukemia, a type of blood cancer, but was soon referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Her family was familiar with St. Jude – they’d seen commercials for the hospital.
St. Jude patient Mayela poses with her puppet during filming for her TV spot
At St. Jude, Mayela underwent a bone marrow transplant in August 2018, with her dad serving as her donor. Her parents are thankful for the treatment and care she received.
When we walked through the doors of St. Jude, we felt we could breathe again. We trust it was God who brought us to the right place. We never imagined how beautiful it would be.
“The attention, the dedication and the love the staff show to the parents and the patients is incredible,” said Angel. “We love the way doctors sit with us to explain every step of the process and how quick they are to respond to our needs. We love the happiness and how comfortable the staff make the families and patients feel. We love that St. Jude keeps looking for the cure for cancer.”
St. Jude patient Mayela during her filming with St. Jude supporter Luis Fonsi
St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We won't stop until no child dies from cancer.
Mayela has finished treatment and now visits St. Jude every six weeks. She’s in second grade and loves to play with dolls and do crafts. “She’s an extrovert, always talking,” said Karen, Mayela's mom. “She loves to make videos and have fun.”
Meet more patients
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Meet Eleanor
Eleanor is a determined baby who arrived at St. Jude on her first birthday. She was diagnosed with down syndrome and a type of blood cancer.
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Meet Abraham
After a CT scan revealed Abraham had a mass on his brain, identified as a cancerous brain tumor called a medulloblastoma, his family turned to St. Jude for help.
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Meet Maelin-Kate
Maelin-Kate was diagnosed with a rare blood disease at age 5, but her mom says, "Every day, she finds a reason why it's the best day ever."
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Meet Mia
Mia is a friendly, caring child who was referred to St. Jude from her home country of Nicaragua when she was 5 years old. She was diagnosed with anaplastic ependymoma, a malignant tumor in her brain.
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Meet Ashtyn
When Ashtyn’s family learned she had a type of cancerous brain tumor called a medulloblastoma, they turned to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
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Reid's big day on the green
This year, St. Jude patient Reid, who was treated for a cancerous tumor, was selected to have a FedEx plane named after him at the World Golf Championships-FedEx St. Jude Invitational®.
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Halloween Traditions for Family Fun
Halloween is a fun time of year for kids, whether they’re carving pumpkins, trick-or-treating or telling stories about ghouls and ghosts. See how St. Jude patients celebrated at home and at the hospital during 2019.
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Meet Corbin
In 2005, 3-year-old Corbin survived his first bout with cancer. But in 2017, the 16-year-old Corbin felt a pain in his right arm. It was cancer, again, but not the same type.
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Meet Brinley
In 2015, Brinley was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia. She was cancer free for more than two years when, in 2019, her family learned the cancer had returned.
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Meet Riku
While treatment for medulloblastoma is a difficult journey for 4-year-old Riku, his parents, Noriko and Jun, are there to give him strength and support along the way.
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Meet Yamila
Yamila experienced cancer three times and is now celebrating four years of remission. Thanks to St. Jude and supporters like you, her journey as a musician, avid animal lover and cancer survivor continues.
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Meet Alana
Alana didn't let a cancer diagnosis get in the way of her dreams for the future. Neither did St. Jude.
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Meet Luis
Like many boys his age, Luis wanted to be a soccer player when he grew up. But then he was diagnosed with cancer. Now he wants to help kids like him.
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How St. Jude patients spent their time during quarantine
While difficult at times, quarantining during COVID-19 has allowed St. Jude patients and their families, while respecting social distance, to let their creativity flourish in ways that has brought them closer together. See how some of our patients spent their time during quarantine.