01. History
History of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
World-renowned for its research and treatment of cancer and other diseases in children, the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital is number one in its field with the mission of achieving 100% survival. Founded by actor Danny Thomas, the hospital has been at the forefront of many discoveries that have changed the way pediatric diseases are treated. So far, the center has managed to improve survival rates for childhood cancer from around 20% to 80%, while also advancing cancer research through numerous ongoing clinical trials.
At St. Jude, the research and patient care facilities are all in one location, allowing scientists and clinicians to work together to quickly translate discoveries into treatments that can help patients suffering from a variety of diseases. St. Jude is also the nation’s second-largest healthcare charity, which allows research to continue uninterrupted and permits the hospital to accept patients regardless of ability to pay.
The major treatment programs at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital include brain tumors, leukemia and lymphoma, sickle cell disease, solid tumors and stem cell bone marrow transplants. The hospital also conducts numerous phase 1 and 2 clinical trials so that the young patients have access to the latest in medical research and promising drugs or treatments that they may not have access to at other facilities. St. Jude also has partnerships with a number of other organizations and hospitals, allowing for important knowledge sharing and collaboration in an effort to find a cure for cancer.
The St. Jude Comprehensive Cancer Center, a division of the St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, is a designated National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center dedicated to the study of the prevention, diagnoses and treatment of pediatric cancers including mesothelioma, which has been found to develop in children in some cases. It is the mission of the cancer center to “conduct cancer-related research on outcomes and interventions among pediatric and adolescent populations and to develop a focus of research in the epidemiology/etiology of pediatric malignancies.”
02. Specializations
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Specializations
- Cancer biology
- Cancer genetics
- Cancer control
- Cancer survivorship
03. Accreditations
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Accreditations
- National Cancer Institute Comprehensive Cancer Center designation
- U.S. News & World Reports Best Children’s Hospital
