A full circle moment for José Quintero

My cousin, Leonardo, was 17 when he passed away from leukemia in 2009.  He made me realize that I couldn’t just stand by in the face of his disease, and he motivated me to help others diagnosed with cancer. 

I was 18 when I started to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. I remember thinking that I love what they are doing. I was inspired further when I learned about Danny Thomas, the research hospital’s founder. Like Thomas, I too felt the need to protect and help children.  

I first supported St. Jude by participating in fundraising walks, then I became a monthly donor, a Partner in Hope.  Later, I used my voice as an on-air host during St. Jude radiothons, something I still participate in every year. 

In 2018, I had the chance to travel to the St. Jude campus in Memphis, Tennessee. I was amazed by the hope I saw there, and even more by the sparkle, the special light, in the eyes of the patients. When you see these kids, who at such a young age already understand resilience and emotional strength, you realize how unfair life can be. It was a transformative experience.  

In addition to helping patients heal, St. Jude is doing research to improve treatments and help save lives around the world. 

Not long after my visit to St. Jude, I found out my parents were supporters, too. In my parents’ house, photos of St. Jude patients that they receive in mailings are displayed in the refrigerator and that’s how I learned they had also been Partners In Hope®. It was a full circle moment and made me so happy to know my parents were also doing their part.  

I always tell people this is something we all should do, because you never know where life will take you. These patients and their families need us. At the end of the day, these kids could become doctors, engineers, parents or the leaders this world will need in the future. That’s why it’s so important to keep supporting the mission. As the saying goes, “today it’s you, tomorrow it could be me.” 

I encourage everyone to support St. Jude because it is truly an organization that holds its patients — and their parents — with extraordinary care. They don’t just stand by a child; they stand by an entire family, embracing them and providing the support they need. 

Although my cousin wasn't treated at St. Jude, I learned through his journey with cancer that illness doesn’t touch just one person — it ripples through every loved one, every day, in ways that change you for a lifetime. And yet, in that difficult journey, organizations like St. Jude become a source of strength, compassion and hope.

My greatest wish is to keep using my voice so that more people can understand just how life‑changing this mission truly is.