Sofía's St. Jude treat

When Sofía’s family learned she suffered from neuroblastoma, they traveled from their home in Ecuador to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for her care. They arrived in April 2014. At St. Jude, Sofía’s treatment has included chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immune therapy, and a transplant where she received her mother’s natural killer cells (NK cells).

Despite difficult treatment, Sofía loved coming to the hospital, where she could play with the friends she made or make arts and crafts with volunteers. One event Sofía especially enjoyed was the Halloween celebration at St. Jude. Sofía loved dressing up like the Flash and trick-or-treating at St. Jude, where staff dresses up and hands out candy every Halloween.

Families 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. “It was overwhelming to learn everything would be taken care of,” said Sofía’s mother. “But that meant we could focus on Sofía getting better.”

Sofía is done with treatment and home in Ecuador, where she’s planning on dressing up as a princess and trick-or-treating with her siblings. She visits St. Jude every six months for scans. “St. Jude is always a step ahead,” Sofía’s mom said. “Anything you need, they will provide it. It’s wonderful.”