During the fall of 2017, Tina became nauseous and started to throw up almost daily.
Her parents, Vicente and Marina, took her to the pediatrician who determined that Tina had a virus. But 10 days later, Tina was still sick.
Tina with her family in 2018
We went to the hospital... Within 40 minutes, they told us Tina had a brain tumor.
— Vicente, Tina's dad
St. Jude patient Tina in a hospital bed
A biopsy revealed the tumor was a type of brain cancer called medulloblastoma.
Tina was then referred to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Families, like Tina's, will never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.
When we learned Tina had cancer, it was the worst news we’ve ever received. You never think something like this could happen to you.
— Vicente, Tina's dad
Tina’s family arrived at St. Jude in January 2018. Her treatment included 30 sessions of proton therapy and four months of chemotherapy.
Tina on the St. Jude campus
Her family is thankful for the care she’s received – and how much St. Jude provided for their family.
St. Jude took the financial worry away. St. Jude allows families like ours to have our child treated with the best team behind us.
— Vicente, Tina's dad
Tina is now finished with treatment and returns for regular scans.
She is an honor student who loves to play tennis and spend time watching videos and playing cards with her sister.
Tina with her parents in 2021
Tina in 2021
St. Jude kept our family together... it's a little piece of heaven on earth.
— Vicente, Tina's dad
St. Jude patient Tina at her quinceañera
Five years after being diagnosed with a brain tumor, Tina's big dream came true. Tina was able to celebrate her quinceañera alongside her family and friends. The makeup and the dress completed Tina's special day and made her feel like a princess.
St. Jude patient Tina dances at her quinceañera
It was a happy day that would not have been possible without the help of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
As a cancer patient, I feel this moment was very important. It shows what I went through and how I'm doing well, thanks to St. Jude.
— St. Jude patient Tina
Meet more patients
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Meet Jamelia
At 4 years old, Jamelia felt bad and saw blood in her urine. Diagnosed with renal cell cancer, she was referred to St. Jude for treatment including proton therapy.
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Meet patient Jacob
Jacob had frequent headaches and wasn’t himself. Diagnosed with leukemia, he was referred to St. Jude for treatment including chemotherapy to try and save his life.
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Meet Levi
Levi was found to have acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and was quickly referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital where he began chemotherapy.
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Meet Alfredo
It started when Alfredo had unexplained bruises and a constant fever. A local doctor who called for bloodwork and results confirmed that he had leukemia.
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Meet Luna
When St. Jude patient Luna started to feel sick, her parents became concerned. Doctors in Guatemala confirmed what her parents had feared, Luna had leukemia.
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Meet Griffin
As an Air Force family stationed abroad, Griffin’s family was living in Germany when he was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia on Veteran’s Day 2019.
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Meet Krew
What started out as a seemingly innocent bump on the head was later heartbreakingly revealed as cancer. Krew was diagnosed with leukemia at just 7 months old.
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Meet Jean Pierre
At 18, Jean Pierre is headed to university. At three years old, he was treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® for craniopharyngioma, a slow-growing brain tumor.
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Meet Ava
Five-year-old Ava had a cancerous brain tumor called medulloblastoma. Referred to St. Jude, she underwent a second surgery, proton therapy and chemotherapy.
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Meet Sariyah
In the summer of 2020, photos taken of St. Jude patient Sariyah by her mother showed signs of cancerous tumors in both eyes at the age of 18 months.
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Meet Patient Lucas
Around Thanksgiving of 2020, three-year-old Lucas was complaining of headaches. His parents thought he just wanted attention. An MRI indicated something more serious.
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Meet Eri'Elle
Eri’Elle was just two years old when her troubles started. Her mother took her to a pediatrician and insisted they run tests to get to the bottom of her baby’s symptoms.
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Meet Scarlet
At St. Jude, Scarlet and her mom lived at Target House for half a year while Scarlet was in treatment for acute myeloid leukemia. Her family never received a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. .
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Meet Gabe
When the lights on the Christmas tree hurt Gabe’s eyes, his mom knew something was wrong.
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Meet Calvin
At St. Jude, Calvin underwent chemotherapy, proton therapy and radiation treatments for rhabdomyosarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissue. He continues to receive treatment at St. Jude, having experienced a recurrence of cancer in 2020.