Rachael Ryan

Our daughter Aria Ryan was diagnosis with Acute Megakaryoblastic Leukemia on Thanksgiving Day, at the age of 5 months old. AMKL is a very rare form of leukemia that typically only affects children less than the age of 3 with very poor outcomes. Aria had a battle ahead of her, which she managed with unimaginable strength. Over the next 9 months, she would spend 167 nights in the hospital and 30 days with clinic visits. During that time, she received chemotherapy on 66 days, some form of IV infusion on 171 days, was in isolation (chemotherapy precautions, infection precautions) for 171 days and had blood and/or platelet transfusions 63 of those days. She was a true fighter and never gave indication of what she was going through. She spent her time smiling, playing with her family, befriending the nurses and growing as little girls do.

Aria was treated at the St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at the Novant Health Hemby Children's Hospital in Charlotte, NC. We never received a bill for any of her care and the weight that lifts off of you as a parent is indescribable. We were able to focus 100% on Aria's treatment, care, and how to keep her comfortable and enjoying life while in the hospital so much. It is because of donations that St. Jude is able to provide care without cost to families. Having experienced their generosity first hand, I believe in and support the mission of St. Jude: Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing, or food – so they can focus on helping their child live.

Can I count on your donation to help me reach my goal?

Families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food – so they can focus on helping their child live. Because of our generous donors, St. Jude can provide children cutting-edge treatments not covered by insurance, at no cost to families.

When St. Jude opened in 1962, childhood cancer was largely considered incurable. Since then, St. Jude has helped push the overall survival rate from 20% to more than 80%, and we won't stop until no child dies from cancer. Thank you for supporting me and the lifesaving work happening at St. Jude today.  

Let’s cure childhood cancer. Together.