Finding cures and saving children are words that define St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. For more than 70 years, St. Jude has been leading the way in how the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. In 1962, Danny Thomas, a young entertainer, opened St. Jude’s after making a vow to change the lives of children and families around the world.

 

St. Jude’s nationally recognized treatment programs target brain tumors, leukemia, sickle cell disease, and other extremely dangerous diseases. Additionally, the children’s research hospital provides a variety of treatment resources about bone marrow transplants, surgery, and radiation oncology to help patients better understand the challenges that they are facing. Additionally, each St. Jude hospital location provides a diverse variety of clinic services to better enhance the quality of life of patients, including blood donor centers, clinical nutrition, diagnostic imaging, psychosocial and rehabilitation services, and many more!  

 

As a pioneer in training the next generation of scientists and clinicians in the field of medicine,

St. Jude offers educational opportunities for medical students, allowing them to build their experience with clinical rotations, allowing graduate students to pursue exceptional science in a close-knit collaborative community with research opportunities, and also provides internship opportunities for undergraduate students. Additionally, post-doctoral and continuing medical education forms the heart of St. Jude’s cutting-edge research, helping save the lives of patients around the world.

 

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital offers a variety of events for the community throughout the Lynchburg region to get involved. First, St. Jude promotes and engages communities across the country with school fundraisers, that can be held at host elementary, high schools, and even colleges and universities. Additionally, the St. Jude Walk/Run, a relay event held in September, which is cancer awareness month, aims to raise money for childhood cancer research and the children of St. Jude Research Hospital, where “families never receive a bill for anything.”

 

Though St Jude Children’s Research Hospital is located outside the Lynchburg region, the impact of their life-saving care and treatment can still be felt locally. A Campbell County family had their son, Jacob, admitted to St Jude after developing blood clots, and he was referred to their hematology department. Jacob was born eight weeks prematurely and had developed five heart defects as a result.

 

“Because of the care and expertise at St. Jude, Jacob was released after three years even though he has two blood clots. One in his leg and one in his neck.” according to Heath, Jacob’s father, and VP of Membership Development at the Alliance. During his treatment, Jacob's family did not receive any expenses for food, lodging, or travel. “If you are not a parent who has been through this, you don’t understand the significance of not receiving a bill,” he added.

 

ALSAC/St. Jude Research Hospital is located at 300 E. Main Street, Suite 300 in Norfolk, VA, 23510. You can reach them by telephone at (757) 687-1200 or send them an email HERE.