The day before his sister’s birthday party in February 2018, Abraham’s right eye turned inward. The eye doctor said it was probably muscle weakness, common at that age.
But Abraham started having headaches in the morning and would sometimes throw up. Even watching TV made the little boy’s head hurt.
A neurologist ordered a CT scan, which revealed a mass in Abraham’s brain. Abraham had medulloblastoma, a type of brain cancer.
“Everything I was looking up online said St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is the best place for childhood cancer,” says Andrea, Abraham's mom.
So the family obtained a referral and were soon on their way to St. Jude in Memphis, Tennessee.
Families, like Abraham's, will never receive a bill from St. Jude for anything.
“It was just terrifying,” says Andrea. “It broke my heart and made me so scared for him.”
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At St. Jude, Abraham’s treatment plan included high-dose radiation therapy, as well as seven months of chemotherapy.
Every appointment, every experience at St. Jude, you feel loved.
And Abraham’s family will never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – because all a family should worry about is helping their child live.
“We get our statements from insurance of how much was covered, and the medical cost is just outrageous,” says Andrea. “Without St. Jude, it would take us the rest of our lives to pay off his treatment. To know that we're being taken care of, it's a beautiful thing.”
Today Abraham is doing well. He loves playing outside with his siblings and cousins and loves his special time with his dad.
“He'll get his dad to sit down and color with him forever,” says Andrea.
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