Sonia never expected her family would need St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. But over the past several years, she has experienced St. Jude as both a mother and a grandmother, and she’s grateful St. Jude has been there for her family during every step of the way.
In 2015, Sonia’s daughter, Heather, was diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukemia, an extremely rare form of blood cancer. At St. Jude, she responded well to treatment and underwent six months of chemotherapy.
Then, a year later, the unthinkable happened: 2-year-old Pepe, the son of Sonia’s daughter Tiffany, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of soft tissue cancer.
“Just when we thought that everything had passed, my grandson was diagnosed,” said Sonia. “It was very painful.” But like the family had done with Heather, they turned to St. Jude for Pepe’s treatment and care.
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. St. Jude is working to drive the overall survival rate for childhood cancer to 90%, and we won’t stop until no child dies from cancer.
At St. Jude, Pepe’s treatment included chemotherapy. He’s finished with treatment and returns for regular checkups.
St. Jude patient Pepe with his aunt and grandmother
Help families, like Pepe's, focus on what matters most.
Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for anything, because all they should worry about is helping their child live.
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