Lisa Redmond has been volunteering as a PAIR Mentor since 2015, but her journey at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital started long before then.
In 1985, Lisa was diagnosed with leukemia at the age of 5. After battling cancer for two long years, she was found cancer free in 1987. Yet it was only sixteen years later that she found herself at the doors of St. Jude once again, but this time it was for her two-year-old son, Javon, who had been diagnosed with T-cell leukemia.
Javon’s journey was filled with years of back-and-forth between remissions and relapses. During Javon’s second remission, the Redmond family was faced with another hardship—this time it was JaKayla, Lisa’s two-year-old daughter, who was fighting for her life against leukemia. JaKayla also experienced a relapse and underwent a Bone Marrow Transplant like her older brother. Today, JaKayla and Javon are five and six years cancer free, and Lisa has chosen to use her story to encourage others.
As a PAIR Mentor, Lisa is matched with families who are new to St. Jude. PAIR stands for Parents Assisting Inspiring and Reassuring, which is exactly what Lisa does for these new families.
“As a PAIR Mentor, I can help parents who are in the same situation that I was in. I know how it feels to learn your child has cancer,” says Lisa.
Lisa’s inspirational story and encouraging words makes her an incredible asset to the PAIR Mentor Program. “St. Jude is a place where miracles happen and life is reborn,” Lisa says. “This hospital has given me so much. This is my way of giving back.”