When Sofía’s family learned she suffered from neuroblastoma, they traveled from their home in Ecuador to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for her care. They arrived in April 2014. At St. Jude, Sofía’s treatment has included chemotherapy, radiation therapy, immune therapy, and a transplant where she received her mother’s natural killer cells (NK cells).
Despite difficult treatment, Sofía loved coming to the hospital, where she could play with the friends she made or make arts and crafts with volunteers. One event Sofía especially enjoyed was the Halloween celebration at St. Jude. Sofía loved dressing up like the Flash and trick-or-treating at St. Jude, where staff dresses up and hands out candy every Halloween.
Sofia loves dressing up like a princess.
Families 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. “It was overwhelming to learn everything would be taken care of,” said Sofía’s mother. “But that meant we could focus on Sofía getting better.”
Sofía is done with treatment and home in Ecuador, where she’s planning on dressing up as a princess and trick-or-treating with her siblings. She visits St. Jude every six months for scans. “St. Jude is always a step ahead,” Sofía’s mom said. “Anything you need, they will provide it. It’s wonderful.”
Help our families focus on their sick child, not medical bills.
When you donate monthly, your gift means families, like Sofía's, 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.
Meet more patients
-
Meet Rylee
When Rylee was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, she was referred to St. Jude for treatment. She received chemotherapy and had surgery to remove the tumor. Amidst these challenges, the family found hope at St. Jude.
-
Meet Alejandro
Ines and Alejandro think of their son Alejandro every day. Their active and curious boy would have been near adulthood by now. They honor his memory through their commitment to St. Jude. Read more here.
-
Meet Camila
Camila was diagnosed three days before her 3rd birthday with a solid cancerous tumor of the kidney. Read her story.
-
Meet Avery
Avery was diagnosed with sickle cell disease soon after birth and she received a bone marrow transplant at St. Jude in early 2023. Her donor was one of her older sisters.
-
Meet Misheel
Misheel was diagnosed with brain cancer and was referred to St. Jude, where she has received treatment, which included chemotherapy and radiation therapy. She has refused to let her illness keep her from spreading joy to others.
-
Meet Janelle
When Janelle was just over a year old, her family noticed that she began to regress in her development. Medical tests revealed that Janelle had cancer.
-
Meet Yazleemar
Yazleemar is an outgoing and expressive teenager. In 2012, Yazleemar was diagnosed with retinoblastoma, a rare cancer. St. Jude offered more than treatment to her and her family.
-
Meet Gideon
After Gideon was diagnosed with stage 4 neuroblastoma, he was referred to St. Jude for immediate treatment.
-
Meet Felicity
With a diagnosis of 5 tumors in her brain and spine, Felicity is facing a struggle, but you wouldn't know it by the constant smile on her face.
-
Meet Charlie
Diagnosed with Ewing sarcoma in his shoulder, Charlie was referred to St. Jude then underwent chemotherapy and surgery to replace a cancerous bone with titanium.
-
Meet Ava
At 6 years old, Ava had a lump on her neck and tests showed she had more lumps in her belly. Tests revealed that she had a cancerous tumor and was referred to St. Jude.
-
Meet Kamryn
At 2 years old, Kamryn's bloodwork indicated he had a form of blood cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Doctors referred him to St. Jude where he would undergo more than 2 years of chemotherapy while growing to love activities like Music Therapy.
-
Meet Luxe
As a kindergartener, Luxe’s legs became so covered in bruises that her parents took her to the doctor. Luxe was diagnosed with severe aplastic anemia.
-
Meet Eliza
Eliza’s pediatrician referred her to an ophthalmologist after testing her eyes. In turn, she was referred to St. Jude as a tumor was visible in her right eye.
-
Meet Rinoa
Rinoa had an MRI due to headaches and, later, double vision. Doctors found a cancerous brain tumor called medulloblastoma and was soon referred to St. Jude.