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 at her quinceañera
It was a happy day that would not have been possible without the help of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
St. Jude patient Tina dances at her quinceañera
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.
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.
Tina prior to treatment
But 10 days later, Tina was still sick.
“We went to the hospital,” Vicente said. “Within 40 minutes, they told us Tina had a brain tumor.”
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.
Tina with her family in 2018
“When we learned Tina had cancer, it was the worst news we’ve ever received,” Vicente said. “You never think something like this could happen to you.”
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Tina’s family arrived at St. Jude in January 2018.
Her treatment included 30 sessions of proton therapy and four months of chemotherapy.
Her family is thankful for the care she’s received – and how much St. Jude provided for their family.
Tina on the St. Jude campus
St. Jude took the financial worry away. St. Jude allows families like ours to have our child treated with the best team behind us.
Tina with her parents in 2021
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 in 2021
St. Jude kept our family together... it's a little piece of heaven on earth.
Meet more patients
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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 tree hurt Gabe’s eyes last Christmas, 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.
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Meet Lydia
Lydia has an unusual hobby for a kid her age: reading scholarly articles in medical journals. But not just any articles. She’s interested in those authored by Dr. Gajjar, the man – along with nurses and researchers and others at St. Jude – working to save her life.
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Meet Gracie
Gracie was eight months old when she was diagnosed with blood cancer. She underwent chemotherapy and physical, occupational and speech therapies at St. Jude.
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Meet Patient Mikayla
Over Christmas 2020, something was wrong with then one-year-old Mikayla. Referred to St. Jude, her cancer was identified as acute myeloid leukemia. Mikayla successfully underwent chemotherapy.
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Meet Weiming
Weiming was diagnosed with a rare disease, an immunodeficiency known as bubble boy disease and came to St. Jude at just four months from his home country of China.
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Meet Twila
Twila was brought to her local hospital for an ear infection. When the pain didn’t resolve, doctors ran tests and found brain cancer. She was referred to St. Jude and placed on a treatment plan.
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Meet Avyan
Avyan carries himself with confidence and strength beyond his years. His manner has given fortitude to his family as they walk through an unimaginable reality.
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Meet Jose
After he was born, José stopped eating and lost much weight. A local doctor confirmed he had brain cancer. Surgery was performed to remove a brain mass and he was referred to St. Jude.
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Meet Carl
At 3 years old, Carl had leg pain and his belly began to swell. He had a cancerous tumor above a kidney. He was referred to St. Jude where he received treatment.
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Meet Ay'Den
Ay'Den is a kind boy with an easy smile. When he collapsed, his family was afraid he had COVID-19. Ay'Den would be diagnosed with leukemia and referred to St. Jude.
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Meet Myla
Myla’s mom found that her little girl wasn’t feeling well. Rushed to St. Jude, four-year-old Myla was diagnosed with a blood cancer called acute megakaryoblastic leukemia.
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Meet Brayden
Brayden received chemotherapy as well as proton therapy for medulloblastoma at the first proton therapy center in the world dedicated solely to children.
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Meet Eli
At just 6 years old, Eli was diagnosed with osteosarcoma. His family was referred to St. Jude for his treatment and Eli underwent surgery to remove the tumor and a portion of his tibia.