MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Four Ukrainian children with cancer and their family members arrived on Monday at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis.
According to St. Jude, they're the first hospital in the U.S. to receive patients from Ukraine.
St. Jude said the patients, who are nine months to nine years old, will receive their complex medical care at the hospital. In addition to cancer treatment, patients will get trauma-informed psychosocial therapy to address psychological, social, emotional and cultural needs. St. Jude educators are also developing a school curriculum for these patients and their siblings.
"The work of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Ukraine reflects the hospital’s ongoing commitment to ensure children with cancer have access to lifesaving care, no matter where they live," said St. Jude President and CEO James R. Downing, M.D. "Our promise to children with catastrophic diseases extends around the globe, and we are honored to play a part in helping these families move to safety to continue their children’s treatment."
Soon after Russia invaded Ukraine, St. Jude Global — a program designed to improve survival rates of children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases worldwide — launched a humanitarian effort, SAFER Ukraine (Supporting Action For Emergency Response).
Working with Fundacja Herosi in Poland, the Tabletochki Charity Foundation in Ukraine, Polish Society of Pediatric Oncology and Hematology and other foundations and international organizations, the hospital said St. Jude Global worked to evacuate kids with cancer from the war zone and give them access to medical care so they could continue their cancer treatments.
"Our ability to quickly help so many children and their families in Ukraine is the work of many partners—individuals and institutions—dedicated to the shared vision of improving the quality of health care delivery and increasing survival rates of children with cancer and blood disorders worldwide," said Carlos Rodriguez-Galindo, M.D., director of St. Jude Global. "While there is more work ahead, we are committed to doing as much as we can as fast as swiftly as possible."
The St. Jude Global SAFER collaborative has helped more than 600 patients.
Click here for more information about St. Jude's latest patients.
