This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.
Elizabeth, one of our writers at 5MinutesForBooks is representing and reporting for us on a media trip to St Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
It’s hard to choose just a few things to tell you about. I could go on and on. But here are a few things that really stuck out.
1. No family ever receives a bill.
Nothing. Nada. Not even a penny. Once a child is accepted as eligible to go there, St. Jude covers travel expenses, food and housing, and of course all hospital expenses. Additionally, there is an on-site pharmacy that provides all drugs. This blows my mind. Every family, no matter their income, is covered. You don’t have to worry that you make just that little bit too much, that you’re facing enormous medical bills that will empty the college savings and the account for braces. It’s covered. I know!
UPDATE: In our comment section below, a St. Jude parent has shared some more details on how insurance works with St. Jude and what related costs some parents end up paying.
2. Everything is beautiful.
Suffering families have enough on their plates, the hospital feels. Their surroundings should reflect beauty, hope, peace. So the entire hospital is decorated with bright images, the housing is gorgeous, the grounds well-manicured and peaceful. Things are new, bright, high-end. More on this in a later post. I want to tell you about the long-term housing in particular.
3. They think of everything.
I was amazed at the level of detail.
- They have valet parking, so that when you’re juggling your sick child coming for treatment plus another couple of siblings and all their bags, you don’t have to drive around and around looking for a far-away free spot.
- They have a school in the basement, so the kids don’t get too behind on their schoolwork. And, when children return home, the staff at St Jude work with their teachers to come up with ways to teach other kids about cancer, so the former patients aren’t ostracized by their peers.
- Instead of wheelchairs, small children are put in bright red wagons where they can relax surrounded by blankets and stuffed animals, plus there’s room for the mum’s purse as well. Parents can leave these wagons anywhere–they don’t have to return them to a specific spot, volunteers do that.
- Their therapists have dolls to help show the kids, and their siblings and even parents, what to expect from the various procedures. Their dolls come in a variety of skin tone colours too.
- They don’t forget that whole families are affected, and take time to include siblings as much as possible–a fact that I know is much appreciated by parents who are focused on their sick child but also worried about their well children too.
- They have special events, like prom and graduation, so that kids don’t have to miss these milestones. And, unsurprisingly, these events are done extremely well.
Scott and Chelsea stroll the red carpet lined with cheering staff. Photo by Seth Dixon.
Scott and Chelsea stroll the red carpet lined with cheering staff. Photo by Seth Dixon.- Their “legacy” services if a child dies are thoughtful and appropriate. The music therapy department, for example, can record the child’s heartbeat and set it as a background to music. The sample they showed us was “Baby of Mine” and I keep thinking of it and tearing up.
4. St Jude Children’s Research Hospital is one of the top research centre for childhood cancers in the world.
Since they opened in 1962, the survival rate for acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common type of childhood cancer, has increased from 4% to 94%, and the overall survival rate has gone from 20% to 80%. They share all their research findings freely across the board. Their goal is not prestige or money, it is to cure childhood cancer and decrease suffering for children everywhere–including in developing nations across the globe.
5. Everyone involved in the hospital is loving and caring.
We had the opportunity to hear from 2 patients (one age 18, and one a parent of a 6 year old with a brain tumor) and both mentioned how everyone at the hospital, from the cleaning staff to the doctors to the therapists to the pharmacists to the people at the housing centers, was loving and concerned. And I thought, “How on earth could you screen for that?” How can you ensure that your janitors will care about the children? I don’t know, but I believed them.
6. Nutrition services are amazing.
First of all, the Kay Kafe serves locally-sourced organic food to maximize nutritional value. The hospital has its own garden, and saves money by growing as much of their own produce as possible. And, per founder Danny Thomas’ vision, there is only one cafeteria, where everyone shares tables. That is everyone–from the CEO to the research scientists to the doctors and nurses and therapists to the cleaning staff, all eating with patients and their families. As one researcher told us, “You might think you’re having a bad day, then you go for lunch and you come back to work with a renewed appreciation for all your blessings.”
On top of this, nutrition scientists are developing ways to ensure their chemo patients get all the nutrition they need. Chemo wreaks havoc on appetite and taste buds, so dietician Karen Smith and student employee Hope Luca together developed the Sour Gem, a tart gummy treat that is packed with calories, protein and fat.
7. The average donation is $30.
The hospital costs $885 million annually to run, and that is an enormous number. Founder Danny Thomas said, “I’d rather have a million people give me a dollar than one give me a million. That way, you’ve got a million people involved.” And he’s right. These incredible services, offered freely and generously to hurting kids and their families, are the result of a lot of ordinary people donating normal amounts. Sure they have huge corporate sponsors, but the bulk of their money comes from people like you and me. To learn more, check out their website.
One of the statues of St Jude that dot the grounds. In spite of the name, St Jude Children’s Research Hospital is not a Catholic hospital and accepts children from every type of background.
Share It
Please help spread the word about how amazing St. Jude is…
[Tweet “7 Little-known, but amazing, facts about @StJude Children’s Research Hospital…”]
Written by Elizabeth, contributor at 5 Minutes for Books. Elizabeth works with Iraqi refugees in Portland, OR, where she lives with her husband and 3 teens. She is a terrible housekeeper, a good cook, and can drink astonishing amounts of coffee..
Ian Athey says
I have friends who are both doctors with a sick child. They took him to Saint Jude’s and were turned away. Saint Jude’s doesn’t want a child who might die. They want the Hollywood success ratings.
My friends child did survive but will be in the nursing home the rest of his life.
I don’t like Saint Jude’s. They have no Hospice for dying child.
Susan says
I am so incredibly sorry to hear this. Sadly, we have heard stories like this… how tragic. I’m very sorry.
J says
FALSE! They’re “amazing” beacause they turn away kids without a 95% remission rate. These are facts.
Suzanne says
I am a nurse. and kept getting mail from them and thought I would donate. It sounded to good to be true so I decided to check it out. I decided after reading the posts I will not donate.
Anon. says
Little known fact.
They turn children away everyday. They told us our son wasn’t good enough candidate for their hospital. He died in April after a five year battle and being turned away by them twice.
Susan says
I am so incredibly sorry for your loss! I just can’t begin to imagine how much pain you must be in. Losing a child is so unfair… and to think they could have been saved if they’d gotten the treatment they needed… that’s beyond what any parent could bear. I’m just so profoundly sorry.
Thank you for sharing your story. That is so terrible that he was turned away from St. Jude. I would be beyond grief in your situation. I am so sorry.
David Armstrong says
Hi, I am a journalist interested in speaking with you about your St. Jude experience.
Here is my contact information. Hope to hear from you.
David Armstrong
ProPublica
Senior Reporter
E: [email protected]
C: 718-710-9494
Twitter: @DavidArmstrongX
Tina says
I know how lucky those kids are to have so many people care so much about them. My daughter is one of them she is a nurse there with a heart the size of Texas and loves those kids as if they were her own.
Tim Johnson says
As a St. Jude parent, I really appreciate your support of St. Jude. But I you need to know the true facts about St. Jude. Their wording in their marketing material is sometimes too general and not ‘completely’ the full truth.
Parents do get billed. If you have insurance …every possible charged is charged to your insurance. If your insurance has a cap on it and St. Jude maxes it out…on a group family plan…you are now paying 100% on the rest of your medical bills. Also some plans have a lifetime cap. A bone marrow transplant costs $1 million. Up until 2012 with the health care reform… once the cap was met…if a family had to transfer to another hospital or chose to for better treatment – they would have to come up with cash to pay for treatment.
They cover travel and food for up to 2 people and housing up to 4 people. If they have already paid for travel for one parent…on a rare occasion have I ever heard of them paying for another parents travel. If you have more than 4 in your family you have to find your own housing and this is strictly enforced. The cafeteria is extremely expensive and your food allowance doesn’t’ always cover the bill. Hotels in Memphis cost $100/night so if you have to stay for 2 weeks with more than 4 you are looking at $2000 visit. When we were there, we were not allowed to stay in their housing due to the size of our family 3 kids. So we had to rent a furnished apartment and paid over $10,000 for 3 months of lodging.
You didn’t say this..but often it is said not child is turned away. This happens every week. Many families do not get accepted…it is a research hospital. If there is not a research protocol open for your child’s illness OR if you have started treatment elsewhere that would affect their protocol. You will get denied.
School is for patients only.. if you have siblings you are left to your own vices in keep them in school when you come to Memphis. St. Jude often recommends you make plans for your other children. So what if you can’t? What if you want your family to be together?
Regarding their funding check our their 990 tax return…you may see they have massively huge reserves. When we were patients they said it was their goal to raise $1million/day now they they are trying to raise $1 billion a year.
Don’t get me wrong..its an amazing hospital…but there is always more to the story.
shannon williams says
First of all is your child alive and did they get the best care? If they are than to me everything would be worth it.
Mom says
The “no child is ever turned away” tagline is what seems to be attracting so many donations. As you pointed out, children are routinely turned away from St. Jude because they do not qualify for any of the hospital’s research projects. Their donation pitch makes it sound like they will take any child, from anywhere, with any illness, and I assume that many donors think that is the case. I am so happy that your child benefited from their research, and also appreciative that you shed some light on what really happens.
Anon. says
Thank you for posting this. My son was turned away. I have seen his tumor be fully resected in other patients at St. Jude time and time again. But they told us no because my son had treatment already. He died in April and St. Jude could very likely have prevented that. Their “no child turned away” logo angers me so much and I will forever place blame for his death it that lie.
Susan says
Oh my goodness… I am so deeply sorry!!! I cannot even imagine your pain.
Carol Bilz says
Thank you for bringing clarity to the situation. I’ve donated for years and will continue to do so. They are the most generous and useful charity. I’ve ever come in contact with. However I was always skeptical regarding the claims of endless payments for travel, food etc. Medical coverage should definitely be utilized if available. Aggressive marketing will attract $$$. Coming from a marketing background I totally understand.
JO says
Agree, I had to spend over $2,000 for a hotel due to me and dad not being married. Huge financial issue at worst time. Yes they do save your child or do their best to, but need to be upfront about the housing because we didn’t know until a couple weeks before that this was an issue.
Susan says
I’m so sorry… that is very frustrating. They do need to be up front about costs.
Seki Tyree Smith says
I lovee St Jude. My son is a patient and four years cancer free.
Tiffany says
The part about when one parent has to stay behind but st.jude will fly that parent in!? Who told you that? Because I don’t have a car because i was told Only the parent who’s here with the child can fly because when i have both of my kids that would have been nice to keep my car and he fly to us! So i call false to that
Janet says
We are given everything at St. Jude. How can you ask for more? I, too, did not have a car while I lived there with my son but St. Jude provided even transportation. And they give us gift cards every week for groceries. Who else does that? No one. But you want them to also provide transportation for the rest of your family? My family was 12 hours away by car. If they came to visit then either my husband drove or paid for his own flight. Go to any other hospital in the world and see what you get. I’m so thankful for everything St. Jude has done for our family.
Tiffany says
Oh wow! seriously!! I’m telling the woman she’s wrong they don’t fly the other parent to visit is what I’m saying !!! I’m grateful for what they do for us!! But she needs to change a few thing! The guy who comment below is 100%Right!
THANK YOU!
BTW we get hell from some back home bc they think st.jude pay my hubby in gas to come see us! And that’s not right it’s a 1 time 1 way trip .I’ve gotten hate messages over that!
Barb Pegg says
I agree you’re there for the sick child to get better I don’t think Hospital should have to pay for your entire family paying for mom and dad is plenty that’s a fabulous thing they’re doing all the other children which should be taken care of at home and come for occasional visits you can’t blame the hospital if three other children or the entire family is going to come and they’re gonna have to stay in a in a hotel I think that’s asking for way too much my parents have given to SaintJude’s since they opened it’s a wonderful hospital and they definitely do more than any hospital I’ve ever heard of