Before being diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, Michael enjoyed swimming, running and being as active as any boy his age. When his family received the shocking news, they obtained a referral and made the long journey from Singapore to St. Jude.

This past November, Michael started to experience problems with his ear. His family lives in Singapore. “It’s a tropical island,” said Michael’s mom, Chaoyan. “Michael and his younger brother swim all the time. We thought it was swimmer’s ear.”

During a soccer game, it became clear something more serious was going on when Michael’s ear began to bleed. Growing anxious, his parents took him to the family doctor, who noticed a growth in Michael’s ear. The doctor prescribed antibiotic drops and scheduled a procedure to remove the growth. “At that point, we didn’t think it was a big deal,” Chaoyan said.

The procedure only took half an hour, but the surgeon was surprised by the size of the growth and sent it for a biopsy. Two days later, the surgeon called with surprising news: Michael had rhabdomyosarcoma, a type of soft tissue cancer. The tumor was located in Michael’s middle ear.

“It was such a shock,” Chaoyan recalled. “My husband and I could not believe it. Michael was a healthy, active kid. He played soccer and ran cross country. How could he have cancer? It was frightening.”

Michael’s doctor recommended proton therapy, which was not available in Singapore. Luckily, one of the pediatric oncologists had done a fellowship at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and was familiar with the hospital. Michael’s doctors reached out for a referral.

Within days, Michael, his mother and grandmother were on a 17-hour flight to the U.S. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.

At St. Jude, Michael’s treatment will include chemotherapy and proton therapy. St. Jude is home to the world’s first proton beam therapy center dedicated solely for children. Proton therapy uses a small, precise beam of radiation to target the tumor, sparing surrounding healthy tissue.