St. Jude is unlike any other pediatric treatment and research facility anywhere. Discoveries made here have completely changed how the world treats children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases.

St. Jude is where some of today's most gifted researchers are able to do more science, more quickly. Where doctors across the world send their toughest cases and most vulnerable patients. Where no one pays for treatment beyond what is covered by insurance, and those without insurance are never asked to pay. We've built America's 3rd-largest health-care charity, with a model that keeps the costs down and the funds flowing, so the science never stops.

Patient Acceptance
Acceptance is based on the patient's eligibility for an ongoing treatment study, regardless of a patient’s race, sex, ethnicity, religion, nationality or ability to pay. Parents who wish to have their child treated at St. Jude should have the child's physician contact us at 1-866-2STJUDE (1-866-278-5833) or by e-mail.

Since the hospital is a research center, children accepted are enrolled in a specific study or "protocol." Information gathered from these studies is used in developing better treatments. Protocol-based therapy has led to improved cure rates for potentially fatal pediatric diseases.

Requirements
St. Jude welcomes treating physician referrals of children and adolescents with newly diagnosed untreated or suspected cancer; HIV infections; or certain hematologic, immunologic, or genetic diseases. Patients are accepted based on the eligibility to enroll in an open St. Jude Children's Research Hospital clinical research protocol. In addition, previously treated patients who have received treatment elsewhere may be accepted on an individual case basis 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 anytime in their disease history based on protocol eligibility or potential to contribute to research projects. If your child’s diagnosis is not listed on our disease list on this site, it may still prove beneficial to your child for your physician to call us to discuss your child’s individual diagnosis.

If your doctor would like to discuss a difficult diagnosis or medical management of your child’s diagnosis, we would be happy to speak to your physician about questions he/she may have. Or, your physician may choose to send us a detailed medical history, copies of relevant diagnostic imaging evaluations, and pathology/histological material in order that our multidisciplinary groups can discuss your child’s case and offer recommendations.

After your child’s initial therapy has been completed at St. Jude, patient care is typically managed in close collaboration with your child’s private physician. St. Jude experts in hematology, oncology, bone marrow transplantation, immunology, genetic diseases and infectious diseases are available at all times for consultation with your doctor regarding possible side effects of therapy, signs of recurring disease, or other questions related to patient management on mutual patients on St. Jude clinical trials.

Close contact with your child’s private physician is important to us and necessary for your child’s safety. Your child’s doctor can call us at any time to speak to your child’s St. Jude attending physician.

Financial Responsibility
All patients accepted for treatment at St. Jude are treated without regard to the family's ability to pay. St. Jude covers all costs of treatment at St. Jude beyond those reimbursed by third-party insurers, and total costs at St. Jude when no insurance is available. St. Jude also provides assistance with transportation costs and local living expenses during treatments (see Travel and Where to Stay in Related Topics).

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

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