Tri Delta, official St. Jude ‘Partner of Kindness’, brings hope to families facing childhood cancer

From above, it must have looked like a gold ribbon rippling across the topographical map of the Baylor University campus — a river of hope. 

The Tri Deltas of Baylor were on their 5K Walk for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. They wore gold representing childhood cancer awareness in every form imaginable: glitter freckles, feather boas and strands of shiny Mardi Gras beads. Yellow wigs, bedazzled headbands and gold cowboy hats with LED lights lining the hat bill. Yellow tulle tutus, gold capes and gold lamé. One young woman dressed as a duckling.  

They held balloons representing the number of children diagnosed with cancer in a single day. A serious purpose, but they were having a ball.

Tri Delta holds year-round fundraising events nationwide to unite people and raise millions in support of St. Jude — more than $100 million raised since the partnership began 27 years ago.  And now, they’ve made a new commitment to raise $100 million for St. Jude by 2038.  

Tri Delta has been named Official St. Jude Partner of Kindness — a fitting honor for an organization that has made kindness its identity. In fact, Tri Delta has declared March as Kindness Month, a month marked by acts of service, grassroots fundraising and awareness for St. Jude. 

Each woman has her own why. And together, they march on for St. Jude. 

An empty chair

For Lauren Payne, childhood cancer is an empty chair in a high school classroom. 

She remembers Miles, a classmate diagnosed with osteosarcoma who died before their senior year.

“His story keeps me going and gives me my why,” Payne said.

What if Miles had lived to graduate high school and college, to have a family of his own one day? She thinks of the ripple effect of all he could have done.

“Kindness is going to change the world,” Payne said. “It’s continual, constant and forever.”  

This is why she walks for St. Jude.

Sisterhood 

Austin Douglas wanted people on campus to notice them all walking. 

“I hope they can see our hearts for St. Jude and our hearts for each other,” she said. 

Douglas’ younger sister was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a baby — a frightening time for her family. Though not a St. Jude patient, she underwent treatment at a hospital near their family’s hometown in Washington. Douglas said she admires the research done by St. Jude that has the potential to help children everywhere.

Douglas’ sister survived and is a college student today. 

“It’s just been such a joy to watch her grow up, and that’s something that I will never take for granted,” Douglas said.

As a teenager, she joined the St. Jude Leadership Society, a program for high schoolers to develop as leaders and support St. Jude. It felt natural to become a Tri Delta in college, joining people who cared about the same things she did.  

She paused for a moment, holding back tears.

“Childhood cancer affects so many more people than you think it does,” Douglas said.  

Reflecting her experience

Emily Mangan, the director of philanthropy for Tri Delta Baylor, calls St. Jude “a healthcare utopia.” She’s well-versed and passionate when talking about St. Jude, including its research output and global reach. 

She said she sees Tri Delta as protectors of childhood, helping St. Jude ensure kids can be kids. 

Before she became a Tri Delta, her only exposure to St. Jude had been through TV commercials and YouTube. She had never met anyone affected by childhood cancer. 

“You don’t have to be personally connected to care,” she said.

Then her Tri Delta friend and roommate, Amanda Paul, learned her cancer had returned. Suddenly, the mission felt personal.  

It changed how she approached her philanthropic role. 

“I wanted to make sure the things I was saying were reflective of her experiences,” Mangan said. 

So, she listened to Paul as she talked about cancer and let it shape how she talks about St. Jude.

Kindness is a verb 

Amanda Paul has stacks of handwritten cards from her Tri Delta sisters, and sometimes she looks at them to feel that little boost. 

As a 17-year-old high school junior, Paul was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. Her chemotherapy treatment lasted one year and drove her cancer into remission.  

She had hoped cancer was in her rearview mirror, but at 21 years old, during her junior year of college at Baylor, she found out the cancer was back. Since then, Paul has undergone multiple treatments, including a stem cell transplant. 

Paul wasn’t treated at St. Jude, but she admires St. Jude as a place that creates new cures through its research. Having treatment options has saved her, she said. 

Her Tri Delta sisters walked beside her as she went through cancer treatment. They wrote cards, checked in and tried to be a steady emotional presence — the kind of friends that Paul could talk to about anything.

Paul said cancer can make you feel like you’ve lost yourself. 

“You can feel powerless,” Paul said.

But through Tri Delta, she is helping St. Jude find cures — adding her strength to that rippling river of hope. 

“Our partnership with St. Jude has truly given me a voice to advocate and help these kids and families,” Paul said.

She joined a sorority and found her power.