Teen cancer survivor raises funds through the St. Jude Walk

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Sebastian leaned on his crutch as he took each step.

It was not easy to walk a 5K while recovering from leg surgery. But the teen eagerly took on the responsibility of leading a group of 70 people on the St. Jude Walk in his home state of Florida this September day in 2024. This walk, no matter how long it took, was going to benefit others like him. Children who had been diagnosed with cancer and referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. St. Jude not only provided Sebastian care throughout his cancer treatment but still, years later, remains committed to his well-being.  

“With everything St. Jude has done for me, I felt the need to start spreading the word about St. Jude,” he said. “Even though it’s been many years since I finished treatment, they are still making sure I’m OK and are still taking care of me.” 

In June 2014, Sebastian was an active 5-year-old who enjoyed the outdoors with his family when he started to experience headaches. One day while he was running, he stopped in his tracks and held his head due to pain, his mom, Belen, remembered. It led his mom and dad, Andres, to take him to the doctor. Over two weeks, Sebastian’s symptoms progressed, despite treatments for an upper-respiratory infection and then for a suspected sinus infection. Sebastian was taken to a local emergency room and returned to the ER a day later, when a CT scan revealed a mass in his brain. Within days, he underwent surgery to remove the tumor and was diagnosed with medulloblastoma. 

“We were devastated,” his mom said. “Sebastian had always been a sweet, caring child with an adventurous heart. It was difficult to imagine he was so sick.” 

Sebastian was referred to St. Jude for treatment because he met the criteria for SJMB12, a St. Jude clinical trial that adapted therapy based on the molecular make-up and clinical risk of each patient’s tumor. His parents packed their bags, and along with Sebastian and his sister, Valentina, traveled more than 1,000 miles to Memphis, Tennessee, where they would remain for several months.  

“St. Jude does everything it says it does, and more,” Belen said. “They not only provide treatment, but make sure children have activities so they are not only thinking of being sick and being in a hospital. It’s equipped for a child to practically have a good time even if they are going through a difficult moment.”

At St. Jude, Sebastian's treatment included six weeks of radiation therapy and four rounds of intravenous chemotherapy per the protocol. He returned home on Dec. 31, 2014, and had nearly a year of oral chemotherapy for maintenance to attempt to prevent tumor regrowth. 

At first, Sebastian returned to St. Jude every three months for checkups. Now, he returns annually for checkups with his care team in the Neuro-oncology Division. 

Since completing treatment, Sebastian has undergone surgeries on his legs. Cancer treatment, his mom explained, caused his growth plates to close prematurely, resulting in uneven leg growth. Most recently, in June 2024 near his home in Florida, orthopedic surgeons surgically lengthened Sebastian’s legs. 

“Everything I’ve been through has been difficult, but it has made me a stronger person. I am happy that I am able to enjoy time with family and friends while knowing that if anything goes wrong again, I have a place to lean on,” he said.

Sharing his story and raising funds 

Sebastian’s team for the St. Jude Walk included friends, family, classmates, high school teachers and administrators. To grow his team, Sebastian and some of his friends attended parent-teacher conferences to spread the word about the upcoming event. He also spent a lunch period asking students in his school to join the walk.

“I sat during lunch with a bunch of teachers spreading information to students and saying to them what St. Jude is, and that it’s real, and not a commercial on TV,” he said. “I told them it’s so important to donate, but even more than donating, it’s more important to show up and to spread awareness.”  

One day, students at his charter school were allowed to swap their school uniforms and wear their favorite team jerseys by donating $5 to support the St. Jude Walk. In all, Sebastian and his team raised more than $3,300.

 In 2025, Sebastian set a higher goal for himself and his team — to nearly double what he raised in the first year. 

“Every time I go back to St. Jude (for checkups) and see the kids who are sick, they always have a smile on their face, and that always motivates me,” he said. 

His determination doesn’t surprise his mom, who said Sebastian consistently performs at a high level, both academically and personally. 

Sebastian will graduate high school in the spring of 2026, and at the same time is set to earn his associate degree from a community college through a dual enrollment program. He’s excited about going to college and the possibility of moving away from home for the first time on his own.

Inspired in part by the surgeries on his leg, Sebastian wants to pursue a career as a biomedical engineer. He is particularly fascinated by medical implants and hopes to one day improve or enhance devices like heart monitors and titanium rods to help people keep healthy and mobile.  

“I see how amazing it would be to work with people who save lives, and if in the future I could work with St. Jude in some way, that would be one of my dreams,” he added.