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Patient of the Month- January 2008

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Jaylynn Vincent
2 years old

 

Diagnosis:

Jaylynn was found to have retinoblastoma, a type of eye cancer, in March 2006.

Jaylynn’s Story:

When Jaylynn was 9 months old, her eyes began to cross. And in photographs, the little girl’s eyes took on a yellowish reflection. Concerned, Jaylynn’s mother, Kimberly, took her to the doctor. Unable to make a diagnosis, the doctor sent Jaylynn to a specialist, who discovered tumors in both Jaylynn’s eyes. The specialist then referred Jaylynn and her family to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

At St. Jude:

Doctors at St. Jude made the diagnosis of advanced retinoblastoma in both her eyes, and Jaylynn began 10 rounds of chemotherapy. She continues to undergo frequent examinations so doctors can evaluate her progress, and she receives occupational therapy. Jaylynn returns to St. Jude every 40 days for checkups.

Although Jaylynn is legally blind, Kimberly says nothing slows her down. An active 2-year-old, Jaylynn likes to sing and dance. Her favorite game is patty-cake.

Of the donors who make her daughter’s treatment and care possible, Kimberly is extremely grateful. “It’s a big relief to not have to worry about costs,” she said. While being separated from their family in Georgia has been difficult, Kimberly knows that St. Jude is providing the best care possible for her daughter. “Everyone here is so nice,” she said. “They take such good care of Jaylynn. St. Jude is like a second home for her.”


January 2008

Patient of the Month- November 2007

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Tristan Morris
3 years old

 

Diagnosis:

Tristan was found to have acute lymphoblastic leukemia in March 2007.

Tristan’s Story:

Tristan, 3, is an inquisitive boy who loves anything to do with Little EinsteinTM and trucks, cars and boats. In short, he’s a typical little boy. A visit to the doctor in December 2006 showed Tristan had low iron counts, so his parents, Kristen and Ron, began monitoring his diet, making sure he had plenty of iron-rich food. They were sure that by the time they revisited the doctor in early March, Tristan’s iron counts would be normal. Instead, the family was shocked to find his counts had dropped. After months of carefully monitoring Tristan’s food intake, Kristen wondered what could be wrong.

Around this time, Tristan developed a fever and had become pale; tests revealed low platelet and white blood counts. The doctor’s news confirmed the family’s instinct that something was terribly wrong: Tristan, he believed, suffered from leukemia.

“You don’t know what to think,” Kristen recalled. “You think you have plans until something like this happens, then you realize nothing else is important.” When doctors referred the family to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, they were already familiar with the hospital and knew it was where Tristan needed to be.

At St. Jude:

Doctors confirmed the diagnosis of acute lymphoblastic leukemia, the most common form of childhood cancer. Tristan received six weeks of chemotherapy, but tests showed the little boy was still fighting the cancer. Doctors determined he needed a bone marrow transplant. Though his hospitalization was long, the transplant was successful. Currently outpatient, Tristan and his family will remain in Memphis for another three to four months so he can be closely monitored. If he is doing well after this point, he’ll return home and visit St. Jude every month for checkups.

For Kristen, St. Jude is a blessing. “You can’t completely understand St. Jude until you’ve walked the halls and realized this disease affects so many families,” she said. “The biggest relief is knowing Tristan is being taken care of.” Of the donors who help make so many things possible – treatment and care, housing and transportation – Kristen said, “I’d love to go and meet everyone of them at their homes to thank them personally for making this possible.”


November 2007

Patient of the month- October 2007

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October 2007

Madelyn Beamon
5 years old

Diagnosis:

Madelyn was found to have stage IV neuroblastoma in January 2004.

Madelyn’s Story:

Shortly after Madelyn celebrated her second birthday in December 2003, the active toddler started experiencing pains in her leg. Her parents, Brandi and Neal, weren’t very concerned at first. But as the weeks went by, Madelyn’s pain continued, causing her to limp and cry out in the night. Then one day, she fell and could not get up. These weren’t mere growing pains, a worried Brandi realized. Over the next several weeks, trips to the doctor proved frustrating, as no firm diagnosis could be made. But Brandi, sensing something serious about her daughter’s symptoms, insisted the doctors run more tests.

An MRI finally revealed devastating news: a mass in Madelyn’s right abdomen. The family, who lives relatively close to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, knew that’s where they wanted Madelyn to go for treatment. “Even though St. Jude was right in our backyard, we had no idea the impact it would have on us,” Brandi said. “At that point, we just knew it was the best place to go.” By the end of January, Madelyn and her family were at St. Jude, where doctors made a diagnosis of stage IV neuroblastoma, a common solid tumor of childhood.