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Braden's Story:
The birth of a child should be one of the happiest moments of a mother's life. But little Brayden's mother immediately noticed that something was wrong with her baby. "I held him and I started crying. I thought to myself, 'something is wrong with his eyes.'"
Brayden's mother tried to dismiss her fears, but her maternal instincts continued to nag at her. She questioned the family's pediatrician about Brayden's eyes at each checkup, but he assured her that nothing was wrong. After Brayden's eyes continued to roll and shake in an abnormal manner for several months, the pediatrician told Brayden's mom that he was not sure if her child could see. Brayden was sent to an ophthalmologist who gave Brayden's parents the devastating news that their baby boy had cancerous tumors, called retinoblastoma, in both his eyes.
"My husband, I've never seen him cry in my life, but he started crying. It's one of the worst things you could ever hear in your life that your child has cancer." The ophthalmologist told Brayden's parents that their baby might need to have both eyes removed to save his life, and he referred the family to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.
Brayden arrived at St. Jude the next day and began treatment immediately. St. Jude doctors are working to save his eyes by treating him with a protocol of chemotherapy, and so far the tumors are shrinking. Whatever happens, Brayden's parents are thankful that their little boy can see for the first time in his life. "He could still lose both eyes. Until he turns 5 years old, it's a possibility. But, if we lose them now I think, 'because of St. Jude, he's had a year to see'".
Brayden's family is so thankful to all the friends who have made Brayden's treatment possible by giving generously to St. Jude. "Fifty years ago, parents did not think there would be a place like St. Jude to go to. I believe that the children who come to St. Jude are very blessed. They can receive treatment they might not have at other places. St. Jude is the best."
