On the day before Father’s Day 2016, Millie and her dad were playing together when he noticed a lump on her side. At first, doctors thought it might be a bowel obstruction, but a CT scan showed it to be Wilms tumor: kidney cancer.
When their local children’s hospital discovered a spot on her lung as well, Millie’s pediatrician referred her to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. Treatments invented at St. Jude have helped push the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to more than 80% since it opened more than 50 years ago.
“I felt like we cried every single day we were at that other hospital,” said her mom. “Once we got here, everything kind of fell into place.”
At St. Jude, Millie underwent multiple surgeries, radiation therapy and chemotherapy. Millie’s mom says the best thing about St. Jude is how kid friendly it is.
I don’t have to worry about her being unhappy while we’re here. She’s always happy. You think if you’re in a hospital full of cancer patients, then it’s all gloomy, but it’s not. Kids run around the hallways laughing and smiling.
St. Jude patient Millie enjoys the festivities with volunteers during a visit to St. Jude.
Millie is outgoing, loving and “very sassy,” according to her doting parents. While in treatment, she loved to play hide-and-seek with her St. Jude care team. “It’s become a routine. All of them knew she would hide, so they’d play hide-and-seek with her when they came into the room. If they didn’t see her, they’d know she was hiding.”
Millie finished treatments in spring 2017 and now visits St. Jude for checkups every three months. She’s enjoying two big firsts in life. “She started pre-kindergarten in August and has made lots of new friends,” said her mom. “Plus, she became a big sister at the beginning of September, and needless to say, she’s loving every minute of that.”
St. Jude is leading the way the world understands, treats and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. And stories like Millie’s are thanks to donors like you.
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means families, like Millie'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
-
Meet June
June is a cheerful, busy girl who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at an early age. Today, she's able to continue treatment at a St. Jude affiliate clinic near her home.
-
Meet Emily
St. Jude patient Emily and Alabama Shakes make music to cleanse the soul.
-
Meet Austin
Austin was a teenager who loved sports. As an aspiring sportscaster, he announced the Broncos fifth overall pick during the 2018 NFL Draft.
-
Meet Kyle
When Kyle and his family participated in a St. Jude fundraiser aboard a cruise ship in 2014, they didn't know how big of a role St. Jude would play thereafter.
-
Meet Mayela
Mayela is an extrovert who loves to play and have fun. She recently finished treatment for acute myeloid leukemia.
-
One family, two journeys
Raeleigh's mom brought her baby sister into the world on the same day that Raeleigh was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.
-
Meet Esmeralda
Esmeralda is a playful, loving girl who loves to play with dolls. When she was diagnosed with Wilms tumor, her family turned to St. Jude.
-
Meet Iris
St. Jude patient Iris has always loved riding horses and wasn't going to let a brain tumor called craniopharyngioma stop her.
-
Meet Elise
Although cancer tried to slow her down, Elise fought her way back from a rare brain tumor and is still fighting dirty against cancer, one Warrior Dash at a time.
-
Meet Gustavo
Gustavo beat cancer once, but when it came back, his family made the long journey from Guatemala to St. Jude so he could be treated.
-
Meet Ainsley
When a swollen lymph node turned out to be cancer, Ainsley's parents turned to St. Jude for help. Read her story.
-
Meet Jesús
In June 2015, Jesús’ family learned he suffered from a type of soft tissue cancer. “I’m thankful that someplace like St. Jude exists,” says his mom.
-
Meet Jamill
Jamill loves to ride his bike and go to basketball games. St. Jude has a history with treating sickle cell disease and supporting patients like Jamill.
-
Meet Keegan
Keegan loves football. But after his last season, his leg started bothering him and he was taking lots of naps. His parents knew he needed a doctor.
-
Meet Matthew
Matthew seemed to have a cold he just couldn't shake. But when a chest X-ray showed a severely enlarged thymus, he was rushed to St. Jude by helicopter.