Mateo and his family found healing and renewed hope at St. Jude

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As a nurse at an ear, nose and throat medical office for the past three years, Nancy has witnessed firsthand the tough moments patients often endure. Nothing though could have prepared her for the day roles were reversed. 

Just a week before her son Mateo’s first birthday, Nancy found herself at the receiving end of devastating news. A doctor’s visit discovered a mass in her baby’s pelvis. The diagnosis: rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare and aggressive cancer which strikes the soft tissues. In an instant, Nancy’s world was turned upside down.  

“It was heartbreaking, shocking and unexpected,” Nancy recalled. “All we could do was break down crying because we couldn’t believe what was happening.”

Mateo’s parents prayed and relied on their religious teachings to get them through the challenging times ahead.  

“Accept what is, let go of what was, and have faith in what will come,” Jose, Mateo’s dad, repeated to himself. 

Days later, after undergoing a biopsy of the tumor, Mateo was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® in Memphis, Tennessee. St. Jude offers many clinical trials and research studies for children, teens and young adults with catastrophic diseases, and Mateo fit the criteria for a clinical trial evaluating a new treatment for rhabdomyosarcoma.   

Nancy and Jose were hesitant at first because they worried about leaving their jobs temporarily while they moved across the state from East Tennessee to care for Mateo. They learned families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food. After talking to a St. Jude doctor, they felt reassured in their choice to uproot their lives for Mateo’s treatment.

“He was good about explaining everything to us and the type of protocol he (Mateo) qualified for, and after talking to him, we decided that we [did] want to go to St. Jude,” Nancy said.   

Mateo arrived at St. Jude in July 2024. Nancy said what she remembers most of that time was Mateo’s piercing cries because of the pain.  

“The second we got to St. Jude, everyone greeted us at the front door, and from that moment I knew he was going to be OK,” she said. “They instantly started to control his pain, and they focused on Mateo. I had a feeling of hope at that moment. “ 

A family’s beginnings and a cancer diagnosis

Mateo is the first — and only — child of Nancy and Jose, whose love story began in a bridal shop in Tennessee. In 2018, Nancy was working there when Jose, visiting from Texas, walked in to rent a tuxedo for his cousin’s quinceañera. He was set to be a chambelán, one of the young men who accompany the birthday girl. What started as a simple conversation turned into an exchange of social media handles — and the beginning of something much bigger. Over time, their connection deepened, and a few years later, Jose moved to Tennessee to be with Nancy. 

“He just seemed really nice, not your typical guy,” said Nancy. “Through the years, our relationship has gotten stronger. We have been through a lot these seven years that we have been together.”  

Nancy’s pregnancy was a delightful surprise. Mateo was born weighing 7 pounds and sporting thick, dark hair. Mateo, whose name means “gift of God,” arrived as just that — a precious blessing to his parents. 

Labor didn’t go as planned, and complications meant that Nancy and baby Mateo had to stay in the hospital longer than expected. Those early days were filled with both concern and hope, but even amid uncertainty, Mateo brought much happiness to his parents and extended family.

Once Mateo arrived home, the weeks quickly turned to months, and he became more alert and energetic, and his personality began to emerge. He adored playing with Zoe, the family dog, and zooming his toy cars around his play area. Before long, he was crawling. 

Nancy prepared for Mateo’s first birthday in the summer of 2024. Jose’s grandmother had bought some oversized pinatas for the celebration and the couple had rented a venue to celebrate with family and friends. Nancy recalled she was going to start to make centerpieces when Mateo started to feel unwell. 

His diaper changes became less frequent. Then his cries started to sound different, like he was in pain. They went to the nearest children’s hospital, where his condition continued to worsen. His pain seemed to intensify by the hour.  

A CT scan revealed a mass.

"They said it was highly suspicious for cancer," Nancy recalled. 

The mass was putting pressure on his internal organs and creating blockages that were preventing his normal bodily processes. “We just kept feeling that his stomach kept getting big,” Nancy recalled. “He was struggling so much — you couldn’t even roll him over without him crying. He wanted us to comfort him, but at the same time, he was in so much pain.”

Healing begins 

At St. Jude. Mateo was admitted, and within days, he began chemotherapy. His mom said she saw improvement soon after. He later received proton beam radiotherapy and had his final radiotherapy treatment on December 12, 2024, a date that holds deep meaning for the family. That day is when the Virgin of Guadalupe is celebrated in Mexico and in other parts of the world.

“It was a special day for him to finish radiation on her feast day,” said Nancy, whose mom hails from Mexico and her dad from Guatemala. 

Mateo continues treatment.

“He is doing amazing,” Nancy said.  

In Memphis, the family has been housed at The Domino’s Village, the newest housing option at St. Jude, which offers both short- and long-term lodging for up to 140 patients and families.

“We feel like we are at home,” she said.  

Nancy and Jose, and their parents who often visit, are enjoying watching Mateo grow and learn every day. At St. Jude, Mateo has physical therapy and can often be seen carrying small toys in his hands, usually a toy car. He also has gotten close to his doctors. 

“St. Jude is a blessing, from the doctors to nurses, every single person there has helped us in some way,” Nancy said.