St Jude Patient of the Month

Reagan is our St Jude Patient of the Month. She was found to suffer from acute lymphoblastic leukemia in November 2012.

Reagan's story:

Three-year-old Reagan is an outgoing little girl, always on the move. She loves to play with her sister and is the apple of her mother's eye.

Last fall, Reagan started to run fevers on and off. Her mom took her to the doctor, who ordered blood work after he noticed Reagan's spleen and liver were enlarged. When the results revealed abnormalities, the doctor, fearing Reagan suffered from leukemia, sent the family to a local hospital.

Soon, Reagan and her mom were at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. St. Jude is where doctors send their toughest cases because St. Jude has the world's best survival rates for childhood cancers like leukemias and brain tumors. Our doctors confirmed Reagan suffered from high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. Reagan's type of leukemia is Philadelphia chromosome-positive, which makes it difficult to treat.

Reagan's treatment and care began the night she arrived at St. Jude. She is on a two-and-a-half year chemotherapy plan, and she recently underwent a bone marrow transplant.

Reagan's mom knows their treatment team is fighting right along with them. Reagan loves her doctor. Reagan's mom loves that the staff takes time to sit down and explain what's going on and what's coming next.

"Reagan's doctor is not going to give up," she said.

Because the majority of St. Jude funding comes from the public, St. Jude has the freedom to focus on what matters most—saving kids regardless of the financial situation. Reagan's mom is grateful that she will never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, housing or food.

"That's such a relief," she said. "It's a blessing."

At times, Reagan's treatment has been difficult, but she's remained upbeat. She still finds the energy to run down the halls, her IV pole trailing behind her.

"I'm extremely proud of Reagan," her mom said. "For Reagan, there's a lot of hope now."
You can help Reagan and kids like her! Become a Partner in Hope by donating here!