Miguel, or “Mikey,” as his mom calls him, was a reserved little boy when he first arrived at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. But now, with the encouraging way staff members have cared for him, he has blossomed into a trusting, outgoing toddler, stealing hearts at every turn.
When Mikey was a baby, photos showed a glare in his eyes. When he was 5 months old, doctors in Mexico found the cause – he had bilateral retinoblastoma, cancerous tumors in both of his eyes.
His family discovered St. Jude online and obtained a referral. His mom, Liliana, didn’t know much about St. Jude before their arrival, but the leap of faith paid off.
In Mexico, the treatment would have been to remove both of Mikey’s eyes; at St. Jude, his doctors were able to give his family hope for his vision.
Liliana was worried about how to pay for everything since she would be away from work during Mikey’s lengthy treatment. But, to her relief, she learned families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food, because all they should worry about is helping their child live.
St. Jude doctors fought to save both of Mikey’s eyes as well as his health, with a combination of chemotherapy, laser treatment and cryotherapy. He also received physical, occupational and speech therapies to help him meet his milestones.
Thanks to the treatment Mikey received at St. Jude, his vision was saved in one of his eyes.
Soon, he will be able to return home. St. Jude will continue to see Mikey for checkups.
To those who support St. Jude, Liliana says, “I don’t know what we would have done without St. Jude and the support of people like you.”
Meet more patients
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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 Mayela
Mayela is an extrovert who loves to play and have fun. She recently finished treatment for acute myeloid leukemia.
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Meet Thiago
Thiago loves to dance to the rhythm of his dad's djembe. In 2019, he was born with bubble boy disease and was referred to St. Jude where he underwent a new gene therapy to save his life.
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Meet Eduardo
At 6 months old, Eduardo was referred to St. Jude where he was diagnosed with liver cancer. His treatment included surgery to remove the mass and chemotherapy.
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This holiday season, our families are grateful for your support
This holiday season, you help bring hope, peace, comfort and joy to St. Jude families. Thank you for your support.
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Fun summer activities for everyone
When they're not undergoing checkups or traveling to St. Jude for treatment, these nine patients are doing what any kid their age is doing – taking vacations.
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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.
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How patients spent the summer
From the woods to the ocean, St. Jude patients and their families took plenty of exciting trips this summer! Read about their adventures.
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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.
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Meet Diana
Diana is a teenager from Honduras who survived acute lymphoblasitc leukemia and celebrated her Quinceañera.
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Meet Damien
For several months, Damien was unwell. But when he started to lose his balance and experience headaches, his parents worried that it was something more serious.
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Meet Chloe
When Chloe was found to suffer from cancer , her mom asked the pediatrician: Where would you send your child? The pediatrician didn't hesitate.
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Meet Cassidy
Cassidy has two sisters with whom she is close, and they've been with her every step of the way as she undergoes treatment for blood cancer.
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Meet Carlos
Carlos had always been an active kid who enjoyed jumping, climbing and running. So when he stopped doing those activities altogether, his parents became concerned, eventually leading to a diagnosis of neuroblastoma.
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Meet Camila
Camila’s family traveled from Puerto Rico for her treatment. “It hasn’t always been easy,” said her mom. “But we’re so grateful for everything at St. Jude.”