TOLEDO, Ohio — The time is now to get your ticket to win this year’s St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway!
The mission of St. Jude is supported by your generosity and goes well beyond the research that is freely shared and the medical care that comes at no cost to any family.
Nobody ever expects his or her child to be diagnosed with cancer.
“This place, that’s all it is, is hope. We’ve had hope since the day we came."
Those are words that dad, Lonny told WTOL's Chris Vickers during a recent trip to St. Jude. It can be a surprise to hear such positivity as Lonny describes the now 13-month battle against cancer in his 10-year-old son Cooper.
At one point, Cooper had little hope. He was given a 10 percent chance to live in 12 months. Refusing to settle, Cooper and family when to St. Jude for treatment. St. Jude often specializes in some of the toughest cases of cancer.
Cooper, fighting Rhabdomyosarcoma, quickly found comfort and hope in St. Jude as their research and care is highly specialized in such sarcoma cancers.
Many families arrive at St. Jude after a diagnosis in a matter of hours or a few days. Never paying a dollar for treatment, travel and housing, the only thing that matters is saving the life of the child. Even more, St. Jude cares and provides for the whole family.
In a twist of fate, some would describe it as a miracle, after 19 weeks of treatment, 130 rounds of Chemo, radiation and multiple transfusions, Cooper has no evidence of cancer.
“I honestly don’t have the words to describe it. We’ve relied a lot on our faith, and I think our faith has brought us to St. Jude and it’s strengthened that.”
All of this is possible through the generosity of St. Jude and the medical care they provide without ever a cost to the family. The dream of such a place of hope was all started by Danny Thomas, who most consider a hero.
“A man I’ve never met, I’ll never be able to meet, I would love to look him in the eye and shake his hand and just tell him thank you. The legacy that he leaves here and that Saint Jude continues on is amazing. I wish the world had more Danny Thomas’ in it."
Cooper is preparing to go home very soon.
St. Jude is the people’s hospital, funded mainly through private donations.
You can now call to support that mission at 1-800-831-7061 or go here to get your $100 ticket to win the St. Jude Dream Home valued at $350,000 in Perrysburg.