By Erica Schaumberg
The Solomon Page SP Cares May fundraiser supports St. Jude. Internationally recognized as a leader in eliminating childhood cancer, St. Jude began with the goal of extending the lives of children, enabling them to thrive. In addition to fundraising efforts, Solomon Page had the opportunity to interview Lizzette Dorado, Market Executive Director, Tri State from ALSAC, the fundraising and awareness organization for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, to learn more about the organization’s history, mission, and its critical role in raising awareness for childhood cancer that impacts families around the world.
Solomon Page:
Founded by actor, comedian, and advocate, Danny Thomas, St. Jude opened its first hospital in 1962 with the mission of advancing cures and prevention of childhood cancer through research, treatment, and establishing a space where no child is denied treatment based on race, religion, or a family’s ability to pay. How does this still hold true in 2024?
St. Jude:
Since our founding, St. Jude cares for some of the world’s sickest children regardless of their race, ethnicity, beliefs, or ability to pay. St. Jude treats from all 50 states and from around the world. Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food — so they can focus on helping their child live. Because of donor support, St. Jude can provide children cutting-edge treatments not covered by insurance, at no cost to families. At St. Jude, we pay for all treatment; travel for a patient, a parent and another adult of the family's choosing; housing for up to four in a family, with options for bigger accommodations; and a daily food allowance for our cafeteria as well as food gift cards so families can prepare meals in one of our four housing facilities. St. Jude won’t stop until they fulfill Danny Thomas’ dream that “No child should die in the dawn of life.”
Solomon Page:
While the hospital is in Memphis, TN, how does the work at St. Jude impact other medical institutions and children battling cancer elsewhere in the United States and the world?
St. Jude:
When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and we won't stop until no child dies from cancer. In many international countries, however, 1 out of 5 children who develop cancer will survive. We won’t stop until no child dies from cancer, no matter where they live.
St. Jude is a research hospital that exemplifies the “bench-to-bedside” model: how discoveries at a lab bench translate to better care for patients in beds. Findings made through research are directly instilled into patient treatment ongoing at St. Jude. Those findings are also shared freely worldwide. St. Jude shares the breakthroughs it makes, and every child saved at St. Jude means doctors and scientists worldwide can use that knowledge to save thousands more children.
Solomon Page:
While St. Jude’s mission is to treat children of pediatric cancer, it also focuses a lot of efforts on pediatric research. How does St. Jude stay at the forefront of cancer research and advancements, and how does this benefit patients?
St. Jude:
St. Jude is committed to leveraging its assets to accelerate progress and maximize impact for children in Memphis and around the globe, with an acute focus on fundamental science, childhood cancer, pediatric catastrophic disease, global impact, and workforce and environment. St. Jude has, and will continue to, significantly influence the way the world understands and treats childhood cancer, sickle cell disease, neurological disorders, and infectious diseases. St. Jude publishes more research and clinical trials than any other pediatric cancer research institution in the US and turns laboratory discoveries into lifesaving treatments that benefit patients. St. Jude was the first children’s hospital to make a major investment in pediatric cancer genome sequencing. The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital–Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project has resulted in groundbreaking discoveries in several childhood cancers. Before this project, not even one pediatric cancer genome had been sequenced. Research at St. Jude not only benefits the more than 8,000 patients we see per year, but it impacts children and families affected by cancer on a national and global scale.
Solomon Page:
Once a diagnosis is made, the world can feel like a scary place. How does St. Jude create a welcoming environment to support patients throughout their treatments, ensuring they feel safe, secure, and optimistic about their journey?
St. Jude:
St. Jude treats each child and family that walks through our doors with a holistic mindset to ensure they’re supported throughout their journey. We offer numerous other services for patients and families including: professional help for caregivers and siblings coping with a child’s cancer diagnosis, child life specialists, concierge services to help families with everyday tasks like grocery delivery, translation services, childcare, a treatment-and-clinical-staff-free floor where patients and families can rest in between clinic appointments, and much more.
Solomon Page:
Cancer is an intimate journey; everyone experiences it differently. How does St. Jude tailor support for each patient's unique cancer journey, honoring their individuality and personal experiences?
St. Jude:
Treatment protocol is specifically designed to treat the whole child, including education, nutrition, and psychosocial services. The onsite school program allows patients to keep up with their elementary through high school curriculum back home. The numerous executive chefs on staff help provide the proper nutrition for each individual child – the chefs at St. Jude make meals based off the patients’ wishes. This could be meals that are native to their home country, a specific way mac and cheese is made by grandma at home, or unique meals at any time of the day based on the appetite of the family. The St. Jude Child Life program helps children cope with the challenges of health care and hospitalization, often by allowing patients to play and express themselves – child life includes art and music therapy to allow kids to express themselves in the ways they enjoy.
Solomon Page:
Cancer's effects extend beyond the diagnosed individual, touching relationships, family, and friends. Often, the support needs of families and friends are overlooked. How does St. Jude provide support for parents and families throughout treatment and beyond?
St. Jude:
Care doesn’t end when treatment is finished. St. Jude follows patients for life, learning from yesterday’s patients to improve care and outcomes for tomorrow. All patients participate in the St. Jude Life Study following their treatment. The St. Jude Lifetime Cohort Study (St. Jude LIFE) helps researchers learn about the long-term health of childhood cancer survivors. Our survivorship studies provide a greater understanding of the long-term effects of pediatric cancer treatment and help researchers develop novel approaches to minimize those late effects to allow a child to thrive into adulthood.
Solomon Page:
How does St. Jude maintain its global reputation as a household name, while consistently delivering the best and latest in medicine?
St. Jude:
Our brand is rooted in the foundation of our mission, and we work diligently to stay grounded in the What, the How, and the Why we do what we do.
What we do: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital® is leading the way the world understands, treats, and defeats childhood cancer.
How we do it: Because most of our funding comes from individual supporters, no family pays St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food. This unique structure gives us, our patients, and their families the freedom to focus on what matters most — finding cures and saving children. By sharing our discoveries freely, we’re inspiring more collaboration and possibilities worldwide and saving more children everywhere.
Why we do it: At St. Jude, we won’t give up until childhood cancer is defeated. Understanding that we won’t give up until childhood cancer is defeated drives how we work across all aspects. Due to the generosity of individuals and corporate donors, we can progress treatment and research for cancer and other illnesses – therefore, we know maintaining our reputation, integrity, and trust with donors across the globe is the way we can continue to work towards achieving our goal.
Solomon Page would like to thank St. Jude for contributing to this article. We are honored to share the voices of St. Jude and other organizations within our community through our SP Cares initiative. Looking to support St. Jude? Follow the organization on Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, and check out the St. Jude website to learn more.
