Have you ever wondered about St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital? Which childhood special needs or diseases are treated at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital? How does a child with medical special needs get accepted to the hospital? Where do families stay when they have a sick child at the hospital? Is it expensive? Frequently when I’m researching a medical condition or a treatment I’ll look on the St. Jude website. That is what made me curious about the children they provide treatment to and I thought you might be curious as well.


The late entertainer Danny Thomas was the founder of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. His mission, and the hospital's mission, is printed below:

"He who denies his heritage has no heritage."
"No child should die in the dawn of life."
"Those who work for the good are as those who do the good."

According to the hospital’s website, St. Jude will accept patients who have suspected or untreated, newly diagnosed cancer, HIV infections, or specific hematologic, immunologic, or genetic diseases. In order to be accepted a patient needs to meet eligibility requirements to enroll in an open clinical research protocol at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Patients who have received treatment elsewhere may be considered on an individual basis for acceptance when there is a potential for protocol eligibility on ongoing studies, relapse studies, bone marrow transplantation protocols or Phase I-II studies. Patients with genetic disorders, hematologic or immunologic diseases, or HIV infection may be accepted at St. Jude’s anytime during their disease treatment based on protocol eligibility or their potential to contribute to research projects. Physicians are welcome to contact St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital to discuss a patient’s individual diagnosis even when that diagnosis isn’t on their disease list.

A family’s ability to pay is not taken into consideration when a child is accepted at St. Jude. St. Jude covers all cost of treatment at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital however; they will accept reimbursement from third-party insurers when available. St. Jude also provides assistance with housing, meals, and transportation cost for those who live more than 35 miles from their hospital.

Parents who desire treatment at St. Jude for their child should have their child's physician contact the hospital at 1-866-2STJUDE (1-866-278-5833) or by e-mail referralinfo@stjude.org.
Every child accepted is enrolled in a specific study or "protocol," since the hospital is a research center. Better treatments are developed from these studies.

Note: Final acceptance occurs when the patient is deemed eligible and is enrolled on a protocol.

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