Sabrina Soto joins St. Jude patients (from left) Sydney Mitchell and Rachel Needham in an arts-and-crafts event at Target House.
There’s nothing I love more in this universe than my baby girl, Olivia. Soon after her birth about a year ago, we discovered she had a medical issue, and the doctor told us she needed an ultrasound. When I walked into the children’s hospital in Los Angeles, I was so worried.
As I entered the building, other parents were walking in, too. I thought, “I could walk out of here with really bad news.”
Fortunately, we got a good report that day. But not every parent has that experience. That’s why St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is so important.
Several years ago, my mom and I were excited to host a Mother’s Day activity at Target House, one of the hospital’s housing facilities. We had fun doing arts and crafts with the kids while their moms got beauty treatments.
During that visit, I witnessed firsthand how the hospital helps families. It reminded me of the time, many years ago, when my grandmother had a stroke. Instead of being by her side, everybody was worrying about details. Her insurance had to be taken care of. Where was she going to stay? Who was going to take care of her? That’s the last thing my family wanted to think about. We didn’t want to worry about paperwork. We wanted to concentrate on our time with her.
I always say, “Give whatever you can afford.”
I know people who spend $5 every day on a cup of coffee.
St. Jude takes much of that worry away. Having a sick child is stressful enough without having to figure out how you’re going to afford the medical bills—and the travel and housing and food. St. Jude allows families to focus on what’s most important: their children.
It takes private donations in order for the hospital to run, and I really can’t imagine a better cause than St. Jude.
I always say, “Give whatever you can afford.” I know people who spend $5 every day on a cup of coffee. Even if you can only give $5, it would still make a difference. But if you’d visit the hospital and see what a difference St. Jude makes to the children and their parents, you’d give everything.
TV personality and lifestyle expert Sabrina Soto is a designer, consultant, bargain hunter and, most importantly, a mom.
From Promise, Winter 2017
More articles from this issue
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The Best Day Possible
The St. Jude Quality of Life for All team goes above and beyond to improve patients’ psychosocial, emotional, and symptom concerns.
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Handwriting: Back to Basics
St. Jude staff members help children learn, or re-learn, the art of handwriting.
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Young Readers are STARRs
The STARR program provides academic assistance for children with sickle cell disease and hemophilia.
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Patients Pay it Forward
St. Jude Child Life unites five patients and inspires them to help one another persevere.
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The 2017 Prom Challenge
Teenagers unite to party with a purpose.
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Land of Opportunity
A gift of property supports the hospital’s Genomes for Kids clinical trial.
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Snip of DNA Spells Hope
St. Jude scientists use gene editing in quest to help children with sickle cell disease.
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Protection from Infection
There’s ‘clean,’ and then there’s ‘ St. Jude clean.’ Learn some of the tactics St. Jude uses to keep infection rates low.
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Already a Winner
A long-term leukemia survivor runs to help the hospital that saved his life.
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Research Highlights - Promise Winter 2017
Find out about research discoveries and achievements in areas of precision medicine, genetics and genomics, mobile health, and patient safety.