Friendly and funny, Kaitlyn is a joy to be around. She first came to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital at just over a year old in 2017, after her mom noticed a growth that proved to be rhabdomyosarcoma, a soft tissue cancer.
![St. Jude patient Kaitlyn at the park.](/content/sites/www/en_US/home/about-st-jude/stories/meet-our-patients/meet-kaitlyn/jcr:content/par-1/cnt_row_copy_1784371/par-1/cnt_column_copy_3055/par-1/cnt_image_copy_42527.img.16.medium.jpg/1603302162779.jpg)
After completing treatment in January 2018, Kaitlyn was able to go home. But several months later, a checkup at St. Jude found cancer in a lymph node.
![St. Jude patient Kaitlyn hugging her mom.](/content/sites/www/en_US/home/about-st-jude/stories/meet-our-patients/meet-kaitlyn/jcr:content/par-1/cnt_row_copy_1784371/par-1/cnt_column/par-1/cnt_image_copy_42527.img.16.medium.jpg/1603302173494.jpg)
She underwent further treatment that included chemotherapy and proton therapy, and today, said her mom, “She is still cancer free, and that’s great.”
Families, like Kaitlyn's, will never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.
![St. Jude patient Kaitlyn with her mom.](/content/sites/www/en_US/home/about-st-jude/stories/meet-our-patients/meet-kaitlyn/jcr:content/par-1/cnt_row_copy_1784371_794361903/par-1/cnt_column_copy_copy_753264807/par-1/cnt_image_copy_42527.img.16.medium.jpg/1603302184347.jpg)
Despite all she's been through, Kaitlyn's smile shines bright.
![St. Jude patient Kaitlyn smiling.](/content/sites/www/en_US/home/about-st-jude/stories/meet-our-patients/meet-kaitlyn/jcr:content/par-1/cnt_row_copy_1784371_794361903/par-1/cnt_column/par-1/cnt_image_copy_42527.img.16.medium.jpg/1603471019129.jpg)
Her mom wants Kaitlyn to have what every child deserves: "Whatever kind of life she wants to have, I hope it’s happy and pain-free."
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