St. Jude Care & Treatment

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Going Home

After treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, most patients return home. They may return to St. Jude for follow-up tests, checkups, and treatments. Patients may also receive long-term follow-up care by St. Jude for years after treatment is completed. 

Mother and daughter walk arm in arm in Family Commons

Services we provide

Travel support for follow-up care at St. Jude

After your child is accepted as a patient, St. Jude offers help with travel plans and costs for your family. St. Jude helps patients travel to and from Memphis for planned treatments and checkups. If you live:

  • Up to 35 miles from St. Jude: We will arrange for transportation or pay for auto mileage.
  • More than 35 miles from St. Jude: We will arrange bus or rail travel, or we will pay for auto mileage.
  • 50 or more miles from St. Jude: We will assist with the cost of a rental car; arrange bus or rail travel; or pay for auto mileage.
  • More than 250 miles from St. Jude: We will arrange for air, bus, or rail travel; pay for auto mileage; or assist with the cost of a rental car.

You must request all help with travel in advance. You can request reimbursement for auto mileage after you arrive.

Medical record requests

St. Jude provides free copies of medical records to patients. You might request a copy of your child’s medical records for many reasons. You may want to keep a record of your child’s diagnosis, their complete treatment plan, and their follow-up appointments. Your child’s hometown doctor may need a copy.

Find out how to request or release medical records.

Prevent infection at home

If your child’s immune system is weak because of disease or treatment, it is important to prevent infection. Most children treated at St. Jude have weak immune systems. Treatments that can cause weak immune systems include:

Without a healthy immune system, your child has a higher risk of getting an infection. Infections can be more serious in children with cancer and blood disorders.

While you are at St. Jude, your care team members will help you learn how to prevent and control infections so you can help protect your child at home.

Find tips about how to prevent infection.

Care after treatment

Unlike other hospitals, St. Jude treatment does not end the day your child is declared cancer-free. Our goal is for every child to survive. We want every child to live a full, happy, and healthy life.

First, we will treat your child’s disease. Then, we help your child stay healthy.

As a St. Jude patient, your child can receive at least 10 years of follow-up care. We have programs to help you and your family make the transition home after treatment at St. Jude.

Transition Oncology Program (TOP)

Before the end of treatment, our team will meet with you and your family caregivers to create a care plan for life after cancer. The TOP team will work with you to find out your needs. This may include:

  • Finding new or returning to local doctors and mental health providers
  • Returning to school
  • Transitioning from pediatric to adult care providers

Learn more about the Transition Oncology Program

Contact us

Patients and families can contact us anytime.

If your child is a St. Jude patient and you have an urgent question or concern, ask to speak to the nursing coordinator on duty.

To have your child referred to St. Jude, have your physician contact the St. Jude Physician/Patient Referral Office:

 

Learn more