St. Jude LIFE Participant Brings Hope to Others

If you were to ask Jennifer Ayo’s care team how they would describe her, you would probably hear words like “determined,” “grateful,” and “resilient.” They may also tell you about the wonderful pies she bakes or the delicious candies she brings each time she visits. Jennifer would tell you she likes to make people smile.

Jennifer was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) when she was 4 years old . 

”I really did not want to go to St. Jude,” she says. 

At St. Jude, she had chemotherapy, radiation, spinal taps, lab work, and more. As she was receiving these treatments, she was also being treated for chicken pox and pneumonia.

While St. Jude is one of her favorite places to visit today, that was not always true. She recalls with a laugh that she quickly made friends with almost everyone she met. Her team helped her get through the treatments that were scary and painful. They explained procedures to her in a way she could understand. They made her smile when she wanted to cry. And they also gave her hope.

So did hospital founder Danny Thomas. Jennifer remembers getting to meet him once as she was headed to a procedure.

“He was in the lobby to meet the patients,” she says, “and he asked if he could take a picture with me.” 

Jennifer threw her arm around him as the cameraman snapped away .

Today, Jennifer wants to share her care team’s message of hope with others. She says she is grateful for the research that is done at St. Jude.

“I think it’s amazing,” she says. “It’s a miracle.”

Now 48 years cancer free , she also takes part in the St. Jude LIFE study. Information collected in this study helps doctors and scientists find ways to prevent and manage the health problems that can appear long after childhood cancer treatments end.

Those who take part in the St. Jude LIFE study help make lives better for their fellow childhood cancer survivors. And Jennifer notes that St. Jude works to not only treat a patient’s disease but also to improve their quality of life. 

“When you are at St. Jude,” she says, “you are in the best place you can be.”