JUNE 2024
Kindergarten students honored during first in-person graduation since 2019
BY BRITTNEY BRYANT
Kindergarten graduate Harper Adams wants to be a crossing guard when she grows up. “I want to help kids walk across the street safely,” Harper said.
Her mother, Sarah Adams, said she’s thankful to have reached the milestone of kindergarten graduation. She was worried when Harper started kindergarten last year. During treatment for kidney cancer (Wilms tumor), Harper’s long blond hair fell out.
“I was concerned about her going to school with no hair. But after everything that she went through, it didn’t even phase her. Here we are on the other side of kindergarten and she’s doing great,” Sarah said.
“I wasn’t even afraid!” Harper added.
For the first time since 2019, St. Jude staff and patient families gathered for the St. Jude Imagine Academy by Chili’s kindergarten graduation on May 17. As “Pomp and Circumstance” played, the graduates, dressed in white caps and gowns, walked through the aisles of the Marlo Thomas Center auditorium. The crowd clapped as the 19 students took their seats on stage.
Michaela Shurden, kindergarten through fifth grade teacher, presented kindergarten completion certificates. As a slideshow played with details of the graduates’ future careers, the audience cheered, laughed and even cried. Many students aspired to work in public service as police officers or firefighters. Several were inspired by their time at St. Jude and wanted to work in the medical field. Graduate Alayah said she wanted to be a nurse “like my one upstairs.”
Alli Leslie, School Program head, said the Imagine Academy staff was thrilled to honor and celebrate students in-person this year.
“School is such a significant part of a child’s life and identity. It’s important to honor the hard work, commitment and support required to be successful in school, especially while undergoing treatment for a catastrophic illness,” Leslie said.
“I love that we can celebrate this milestone with patients and families. The parents said they were so thankful that we offered the in-person graduations,” Shurden said.
“It means a lot to share this experience with other families who know the pain that we went through,” Sarah said. “We are grateful for the amazing St. Jude staff that does everything they can to fix that pain.”
St. Jude Imagine Academy by Chili’s kindergarten graduation was held May 17.
Imagine Academy staff gifted graduates the book “My Voice is a Trumpet,” as a memento of the occasion. Leslie said the book is also a reminder to always advocate for themselves.
“Your voice is your greatest asset, a tool to express your hopes, dreams and aspirations. Use your voice to stand up for what is right, to lend a helping hand to those in need and to spread love and positivity wherever you go,” Leslie said.
St. Jude high school graduates share accomplishments, career goals
BY BRITTNEY BRYANT
The St. Jude Imagine Academy by Chili’s high school graduation celebrated 29 graduates May 3. The blockbuster event featured a red carpet, popcorn and an audience of patient families and St. Jude employees. For the first time since 2019, the event was held inperson in the Marlo Thomas Center auditorium.
School Program Head Alli Leslie delivered the commencement speech. She said the event commemorated the graduates’ journeys of resilience, courage and hope.
“May your futures be as bright as the stars that light up the silver screen, and may your stories inspire for generations to come,” Leslie said. “This is your premiere and your moment to shine.”
Mandy Shelby-Little, sixth through 12th grade teacher, emphasized the importance of celebrating accomplishments.
“These graduates aren’t your average students. They are superheroes and warriors who face battles that would knock most of us down. They stood tall and showed us what real strength looks like,” Little said.
For the finale, the audience enjoyed a movie featuring graduates’ photos, video testimonials and written notes.
Hayden Williams, elected best dressed in high school, arrived at the event with a suit and bright pink bow tie. Williams, along with two of his siblings, has a rare blood disorder and has been a patient at St. Jude since he was an infant.
“There have been times with my health where each day brought new challenges, including
innumerable blood transfusions, brain surgery and multiple rides in a helicopter,” Williams said.
Williams thanked the Hematology team at St. Jude for helping him during difficult moments.
“While overcoming many obstacles, persevering and striving to finish strong, I am confident and secure that I have a firm foundation on which to continue to build my life and my future,” said Williams, who will attend Itawamba Community College in Mississippi as a business major.
Graduate Natalie Harvey became a patient at St. Jude in 2018 after being diagnosed with osteosarcoma, a type of bone cancer. Inspired by her experience at St. Jude, she plans to major in biomedical sciences at University of Southern Mississippi and work as a pediatric surgeon.
Now cancer-free, Harvey said she is thankful to share this moment with staff and patients.
The high school graduation event commemorated the graduates’ journeys of resilience, courage and hope.
“It means everything. These are the people that understand what I went through. This graduation recognizes all my accomplishments, which is more than just getting a high school diploma,” Harvey said.
Annabelle Fortner explained her struggle to succeed in high school while undergoing treatment for cancer.
“While classmates were stressing over algebra, my tumor was causing a level of stress beyond compare. I often felt defeated but kept going even when I thought I could not,” Fortner said.
Despite dealing with health challenges, Fortner played sports throughout high school and graduated as an Illinois State Scholar. She also said her time at St. Jude inspired her to work in the medical field.
“Cancer has given me a whole new outlook on life. My personal journey has undoubtedly guided me to helping young patients. I wouldn’t be where I am today without my clinic team,” Fortner said.
Like Fortner and Harvey, several graduates expressed interest in pursuing a medical career and working at St. Jude.
“I want to give back and help others like the nurses helped me,” said graduate Maclaren Coulston, who will attend Union University in Tennessee to study nursing.
“To me, St. Jude is home. It has been my home for nearly three years, and it is where I have found my people,” said graduate Jered Simmons, who plans to study nursing.
Olivia Barlow will attend Mississippi State University with a major in biology. She wants to become a veterinarian, which has been her dream job since childhood.
“When I was 12 years old and got diagnosed, I didn’t see this as my future. St. Jude gave me that. I adore the staff and the team that got me through treatment. They truly are a blessing,” Barlow said.
“I would like to thank all the staff at St. Jude. I wouldn’t have made it without your help,” said graduate Myian Jeremiah Collins, who plans to study political science and become a lawyer.
Margo Price said her biggest accomplishment was qualifying for the state swim team less than a year after being diagnosed with cancer. She will attend Missouri State University in the Fall.
“I’m grateful for St. Jude and excited for my future,” Price said.
“We know that you are equipped with the tools, knowledge and resilience to navigate even the stormiest of seas,” Leslie said. “No matter where life takes you, you will always be part of the St. Jude family.”
A “cool” experience: St. Jude celebrates the transfer of the 100th cellular therapy product
BY KERRY GOFF
The Feel Good Fridays series is a periodic look at inspirational, positive and uplifting stories from members of the St. Jude community.
The transfer of the 100th cellular therapy product from the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) Facility to the Human Applications Laboratory (HAL) happened April 30 with fanfare. The GMP team loaded two blue, mushroomlike, containers into a golf cart decorated for the occasion.
Driven by Timothy Lockey, PhD, director of Process Development in the GMP, the cart started from the GMP, which is in the far northwest corner of campus, and made a stop in front of the I4ARC where it was greeted by a crowd of well-wishers. The product then continued its journey around the Donald P. Pinkel, MD, Research Tower circle drive, and to the Patient Care Center, where HAL is located.
The two cryo-sealed blue containers, called vapor phase transports, were mounted onto a pair of dollies to wheel into the elevator and up to the fourth floor, where Lockey rapped on the door with a tap-taptaptap-taptaptap—”The secret knock,” he joked.
The HAL doors opened, and the blue containers were wheeled into the cryogenic lab, where Ben Bradley, stem cell processing specialist I in the HAL, was ready for the transfer. Robert Ott, PhD, director of Quality Assurance in the GMP, partnered with Bradley to complete the meticulous process of transferring the paperwork and the product. Every step is counted and measured.
The scene within HAL resembles what kids imagine a science lab looks like based on science fiction films: cryogenic containers, lab coats, blue gloves, hissing
blue and silver cylinders and billowing condensation from liquid nitrogen in a cryogenic lab. It’s not magic, but there is something magical about the process.
Hiss…the blue container opens: “Temperature minus 179.4,” Ott said while Bradley wrote the numbers on his clipboard. Then another hiss to open the silver cylinder. Ott hands a small stack of thin rectangular boxes of cell therapy product to Bradley, then Bradley places the stack into larger silver cylinders, also billowing condensation created from a cryogenically frozen environment.
In the 20 years since its grand opening, the GMP facility has been integral in producing vaccines, gene and cellular therapy products, monoclonal antibodies and recombinant proteins for pediatric patients.
The GMP facility also has the unique capability to quickly manufacture enough products to allow for first-in-human trials.
Robert Ott, PhD, director of Quality Assurance in the GMP, and Ben Bradley, stem cell processing specialist I in the HAL, transfer the product from one container to another.
They can then turn around and make further modifications for the next clinical trial phase without starting from scratch. They also ensure that biopharmaceuticals and other biological products used for patients are manufactured in accordance with strict federal regulations. Keeping it all in-house tightens the process.
“The GMP, in combination with many collaborating institutional departments, provides a great asset to investigators at St. Jude,” said Frank Fazio, president of the Children’s GMP and vice president of Therapeutics. “The subject-matter experts who develop robust manufacturing and analytical processes help assure quality of the products delivered to the clinic.”
Employee Engagement Office offers opportunities to connect with employees, Memphis
BY ST. JUDE INSIDER
With a growing workforce of nearly 6,500 employees, St. Jude has created the Employee Engagement Office to offer new opportunities for employees to connect outside of work. Through social gatherings and events, the office will create and support efforts that enrich the employee experience.
James R. Downing, MD, St. Jude president and CEO, shared details about the new department at the June Town Hall. He said the Employee Engagement Office will help shape and strengthen the St. Jude culture.
“This new initiative helps us break down barriers so we can learn from each other and realize that we are one family dedicated to the same mission,” Downing said.
Christina Mignon Barnes is director of the Employee Engagement Office.
Originally from Memphis, she worked for Vanderbilt University in Nashville and then former Governor of Tennessee Bill Haslam. Barnes said she’s excited to bring the office to fruition and launch new employee experiences.
“I enjoy working from an entrepreneurial spirit of idea design to implementation, whether it’s from scratch or elevating existing creations to new levels,” Barnes said.
Along with bringing employees together, Barnes wants to help employees feel connected to Memphis. Nearly half of employees have worked at St. Jude for less than three years. With the hospital’s strategic goal of hiring 2,300 employees, more new employees will be moving to the Mid-South.
“St. Jude is integral to Memphis and Memphis is integral to St. Jude. We want to highlight the beauty and the good here,” Barnes said.
Launching in June, the office is already providing opportunities to attend Memphis events. Employees and their families enjoyed free tickets to 901FC and Memphis Redbirds games. For those interested in pickleball, there’s a St. Jude hour at the Pickleball901 pop-up party Saturday, June 22. Employees can play a pickleball game or join instructor-led group sessions.
To foster connections with the Memphis community, the Employee Engagement Office will also partner with the Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion to offer volunteer opportunities for individuals, teams and families.
“The more we feel connected to each other and to our city will only further benefit our work and the ones who matter most - the very heartbeat of why we’re here,” Barnes said.
Christina Barnes, director of the Employee Engagement Office, speaks with employees at the June Town Hall.
Although events are local now, the office will eventually offer experiences outside of Memphis. Upcoming plans include potential day trips to Oxford and overnight trips to New York City to watch a Broadway show.
“This office happens with the help of employees. Each of us is integral to how St. Jude advances. I am thrilled to help further craft that experience with and for you,” Barnes said.
St. Jude hosts inaugural International Employee Family Event
BY MIKE O’KELLY
Picnics are universal expressions of joy, bringing people together to enjoy food, nature and each other’s company.
For St. Jude international employee families, picnics take on even greater significance. They become a celebration of diversity, a fusion of cultures and an opportunity to create lasting memories that bridge borders and languages.
Earlier this month, St. Jude international employee families gathered at Shelby Farms Park for food, fun and fellowship, at the inaugural International Employee Family Event. Picnic tables were spread with an array of dishes from across the globe. Children laughed, played and drew pictures together, and parents shared stories with new friends.
Lisa Gaddy, manager of Immigration and Visa Services, said the inaugural International Employee Family Event provided a welcoming environment for international families to experience mutual understanding, support, solidarity, encouragement and companionship with their fellow St. Jude families.
just four months of being at St. Jude, I feel like I have a family away from home. More employers need to do what St. Jude does, but it’s okay—we will keep our hidden gem to ourselves! Thank you, Immigration and HR for hosting this event!”
—
Martha Seymour, Business Analyst II, Information Services
“Living in a foreign country can be challenging, especially for those who are far from extended families and support networks. This event reminded us that no matter where we come from, we are all part of the same St. Jude global family with a rich tapestry of cultures that make our institution so beautifully diverse.”
— Lisa
Gaddy, Manager, Immigration and Visa Services
“I moved to Memphis from Cambridge, United Kingdom, and this event showed me how much St. Jude cares about the well-being of its employees. Navigating a new culture can be both exciting and intimidating, but as a new employee with
“The International Employee Event was a wonderful opportunity for my family and me to connect with other foreign families from St. Jude. Our kids enjoyed playing together, and the adults had a great time socializing. We will definitely be returning for the next event like this.”
— Wojciech Rosikiewicz, Senior Bioinformatics Research Scientist, Center for Applied Bioinformatics
“My kids loved it. My son said he was very excited to be taught initial steps of playing golf by one of the employees. They had fun.”
— Khalid
Elbashir, Clinical Fellow, Clinical Education and Training
International employee families gathered at Shelby Farms for the inaugural International Employee Family Event.
Celebrating Father’s Day with Todd and Leigh McWilliams
BY SASHA STEINBERG
The Feel Good Fridays series is a periodic look at inspirational, positive and uplifting stories from members of the St. Jude community.
In his office, Todd McWilliams displays two of his daughter Leigh’s artistic creations. One is a brightly colored canvas Leigh painted with four St. Jude logos, and the other is a large ceramic plate she painted with an even larger St. Jude logo. When Leigh created these works of art, she was a child herself. Today, she is a registered nurse, taking care of the children represented by that iconic logo.
“St. Jude cares about you as a person, and Nursing is one big family,” said Leigh, a pediatric oncology nurse on the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit. “We have the support of our unit and the people above us. People recognize what we do as nurses and work with us to help prevent burnout. St. Jude makes it easy to be successful with the resources we have here. Everything is mission-driven. On the clinical side, we talk a lot about our mission and St. Jude values.”
Her dad Todd, who serves as vice president for administrative applications in Information Services, is approaching his 25th anniversary at St. Jude. He started as senior applications analyst II in 2000.
“St. Jude is a safe place that takes care of its people. You’re never going to beat the benefits we have here. We have the resources to do what we need to do, and we try to do the right thing. Everything we do in Information Services is with the patients and families in mind,” Todd said. “My team supports administrative applications that range in complexity from the Workday system to the Staff Scheduling system to the POS system in Kay Kafe.”
“The projects my dad’s team supports or the changes they oversee, we experience in clinical. I’ll joke with him, ‘You’re changing something again?!’” Leigh said as Todd smiled. “It’s cool we both work at St. Jude. You can’t beat working here.”
For Todd, you also can’t beat being a dad.
In addition to Leigh, Todd is the proud father of Hunter, Leigh’s younger brother. Hunter was treated for appendicitis at Le Bonheur in Memphis in May 2019, and that experience inspired Leigh to pursue a career in nursing to provide that life-changing care for other families.
“Le Bonheur saved my brother, and I wanted to give back to the profession that saved him,” Leigh said. “There were so many career options, but I am extremely thankful I chose nursing.”
After graduating from high school, Leigh participated in the St. Jude Volunteen program in summer 2018
Todd McWilliams, VP–Administrative Applications, Information Services, is pictured with his daughter, Leigh McWilliams, RN, Inpatient Units.
with the intention of becoming a child life specialist. With Todd’s encouragement, she applied to do an externship at St. Jude in summer 2022.
Leigh participated in the nurse externship program the summer before her last semester of nursing school at the University of Memphis. She participated in the St. Jude Nurse Residency Program in January 2023 after graduating from nursing school.
“I was placed on the BMT unit for my externship and matched to BMT dayshift for my residency,” she said.
Todd beamed with pride as he shared that Leigh received a nomination for the Daisy Award in the fourth quarter of 2023. Leigh said she was honored to receive that recognition, which included a special lanyard pin. Through the Daisy Award nomination process, patients, caregivers and staff can honor nurses for their clinical expertise, compassionate care, and leadership.
“I love being able to do extra things to support our patients and their families,” Leigh said. “My favorite part of being an extern was playing with the patients or their siblings, coloring with them or watching a movie with them. We’re holistically caring for our patients. On the BMT unit, our patients are immunocompromised, and we want to do whatever we can to help make this experience as normal as possible for them.”
Just as his parents were of him, Todd is proud of Leigh and her hard work that led to a career at St. Jude. As a dad, he wants nothing more than to see both of his children healthy and doing what brings them joy.
“My wife and I taught Leigh and Hunter when they were growing up that being nice is important because people don’t forget that plus it’s the right thing to do,” Todd said. “St. Jude is all about relationships and how you build them. People ask me when I’m going to retire, and I say ‘Never.’ I have to stay busy. And this place is unique; there’s nowhere like it. We appreciate St. Jude so much.”
“It will help distinguish our practice from others in the nation and provide patients and caregivers with additional evidence of our facility’s focus on quality and safety,” Hua said.
Nursing Open Forum returns, shows appreciation for Nursing accomplishments
BY KERRY GOFF
After a series of COVID-19-related adaptations starting in 2020, the Nursing Open Forum returned in February 2024. Strategically structured, the first forum focused on a (re) introduction to new and returning leadership, with a second event in May that focused on Nursing strategic goals.
A return of the Open Forum
The February event included a packed house who were eager to meet and resolidify as a community in an environment where nurses across the institution could connect.
Sarah Currie, RN, senior vice president and chief nursing executive, stressed the importance of building a “Team of Nursing” which would create a culture of support around nursing colleagues. Although Currie provides strong leadership, she makes sure everyone is aware of how important each of their roles are.
Currie was featured during the Blueprint series in February and found the opportunity to put the spotlight on others on her team. She explained that she can only be as good as her team, and she had plenty to compliment as she introduced clinical and nursing leadership, letting each provide their own philosophies and progresses their teams are making in each department.
“Trust in senior leadership is key to meeting goals and making sure everyone is supported, from professional development to avoiding burnout,” Currie said.
Nursing Appreciation Week Open Forum
Nursing Appreciation Week, which was celebrated May 6–10, provided a second Nursing Open Forum focused on just that—appreciating the hard work nurses have accomplished at St. Jude while charting the way forward for more
departmental and institutional improvements, and also providing more opportunities for professional development.
The meeting started with a heart-felt, five-minute video where employees honored nurses for their important contributions to the St. Jude mission. The video is a tribute to everyone who has met or aims to meet their goals moving into FY25. The Nursing Strategic Plan aims to improve how each can contribute to the patient’s entire journey.
Morgan Melancon, director of Nursing Education and Professional Development, talked about “back to basics,” which focuses on the theory that nursing is both an art and a science.
“The science part comes in the form of standards, expectations and evidence-based ways that we care for our patients, and the art really comes in the form of gut feelings formed by relationships with patients and families,” Melancon said. “And really, when the art and the science come together, that is when the beauty of nursing comes to life.”
Nurses attend the May Nursing Appreciation Week Open Forum.
Melancon continued to explain that whether one is a new nurse who is still learning, or a senior nurse who has seen considerable changes and advances, going back to the core mission is the guiding principle for everyone.
Currie also said that the team was working closely with the Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Office to recruit nurses from diverse backgrounds to reflect the groups of patients and families cared for by St. Jude: “The cohort we currently have coming in is the most diverse group we have ever had.”
Currie finished the forum with open questions that covered a range of topics—and she addressed each with consideration and transparency.
“It was strategic that we had our second forum today during Nurse’s Week so I could again express my sincere appreciation for all you do each and every day for our patients,” she said. “There is a sign in one of the units that says our patients are fearless. I also think our nurses are fearless—they’re like superheroes.”
St. Jude donates relic of its namesake
BY GARY BRIDGMAN
After decades of storage, a relic of Saint Jude Thaddeus the Apostle was recently moved from St. Jude to the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception in Memphis.
The relic is a tiny bone chip, purportedly removed from the body of the apostle. It was certified in 1962 by the office of Cardinal Clemente Micara, the vicar general of Rome.
At some point, the hospital received the relic as a donation. The bone chip, embedded in a small cross, was tucked away in the office of St. Jude Spiritual Care Services for safe keeping.
When another relic of St. Jude Thaddeus was displayed at Immaculate Conception in March 2024, Mark Brown, director of Spiritual Care Services, was reminded of the relic that had long been in his department’s care.
“I explored options with hospital leadership for displaying the relic on campus, but a good option could not be found,” Brown said. “They suggested offering it to the cathedral.”
On Tuesday, June 18, Father Robert Szczechura, pastor of the Immaculate Conception parish, and Father Horst Lorenz, associate pastor, came to campus to receive the relic.
Immaculate Conception has a statue of the saint, where parishioners say weekly novenas (group prayers) that include concerns for St. Jude patients. Szczechura’s plan is to incorporate the relic into this weekly practice. He thanked St. Jude for the gift and said the relic will be installed in a permanent location at the cathedral in October prior to the Feast Day of St. Jude, which is October 28.
When St. Jude founder Danny Thomas was a struggling young entertainer, he sought guidance from St. Jude Thaddeus, the patron saint of hopeless causes. Success followed Danny’s plea, and he set about fulfilling a vow he made to the saint. The result was St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
Mark Brown, Spiritual Care Services director, displays the relic in the Sacred Space in Family Commons.
Journey to the Jude: Coleman Stitt, Nursing
BY SASHA STEINBERG
In celebration of Pride Month, Coleman Stitt is sharing his St. Jude journey.
“I’m originally from Covington, a small town about an hour north of Memphis. If my family needed anything other than a Walmart or Kroger, we drove to Memphis – even just to see a movie! In that way, Memphis was like a second home to me, and it’s the city I claim when people ask where I’m from.
After graduating with a business degree, I moved to Connecticut for a sales job and lasted about a year. I’d wake up in the morning with no passion or joy for my job.
Two weeks after I moved back home, my father went to an appointment for a cough that he hadn’t been able to shake for a couple months. He was immediately admitted to the hospital after images showed huge amounts of fluid around his lungs, and he was eventually diagnosed with Stage IV non-small cell adenocarcinoma.
My dad was in the hospital for about two weeks and during that time, we encountered a wide variety of medical team members. It was the nurses who stood out the most to me.
What I saw them do on a daily basis was the opposite of what I did in the job I had previously left. Every day for them brought something new; things could change drastically within minutes; care often ran off a teamwork effort; they were face-to-face with people and families rather than communicating over emails and phone calls; and above all, what they did helped others.
Even though I had none of the prerequisites for nursing school, I felt like it was my calling.
It was April when my dad was diagnosed, and I was in a mini-term chemistry class that May to start the journey.
I knew I wanted to work at St. Jude almost the moment I decided to go to nursing school. I wanted to make some sort of impact for patients and families affected by cancer, even if it was just for a moment. I wanted to help them manage through some of the worst times.
I have been on the inpatient BMT unit my entire time at St. Jude. I started as a bedside nurse for five years and am currently a Clinical Staff Leader. I love my job as a CSL because I get to take on a hybrid of fulfilling roles each week. Two days a week, I’m working a 12-hour shift in a “Charge Nurse” type of role, helping my nurses as a resource in any way they need and working alongside patients and families. My other two workdays each week are eighthour administrative type roles where I conduct check-ins, develop and manage staff scheduling, help in the interview and hiring process, and attend a variety of meetings.
Coleman Stitt is a clinical staff leader in the Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit.
When people ask where I work, I often get questions like “Oh, is it not sad there? How do you do it?’”
While there are some tough times, I feel with every sad story or situation, there are SO many happy ones!
Being on BMT, our patients are with us for quite some time, so we really get to know them. When they come to visit us in “the fishbowl” months or even years later and they’re thriving in the outside world just being kids, it’s always a refreshing reminder of why we do what we do. It brings me so much happiness.
My co-workers make my job as a CSL fun and easy. I look forward to seeing them every day. There are days that our workday is tough, but I’m very thankful for the teamwork my BMT dayshift group has developed.
Growing up, I had a fear of rejection from friends and loved ones prior to coming out. That fear as a teenager and young adult easily spilled over into “when I grow up” and start a career. Luckily, those fears never played out like I worried they would. I continue to receive acceptance and love from my friends, family and peers.
You never really know what someone is going through or battling on the inside, whether they’re in the same situation as you or something completely different. We spend a lot of time around our co-workers. They should feel comfortable and at ease during that time, and I want to create an acceptable environment or safe space for those that I lead.
I am a member of the PRIDE ERG and have also participated in a few LGBTQ-affiliated local groups like Pride Sports. I find these groups incredibly welcoming and empowering. They provide valuable resources and create a sense of community, which I definitely appreciate.
Diversity is important to the success of any organization because it can bring different outlooks and perspectives to issues, ideas and solutions. Our patients come from all over the world, have different family structures and many different backgrounds.
A workforce should reflect that, and St. Jude leans into that power of diversity.”
Journey to the Jude: Emily Browne, Transition Oncology Program
BY SASHA STEINBERG
Emily Browne was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at age 17. In celebration of National Cancer Survivor Month, Emily is sharing her journey as a childhood cancer survivor.
“I didn’t know it then, but my journey to St. Jude began September 11, 1995, when I was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). As a 17-year-old, I didn’t know what ‘oncology’ meant, only that my pediatrician was concerned about my lab results and persistent fever. I found myself in a clinic at Children’s of Alabama in my hometown of Birmingham surrounded by children with cancer, oblivious to the fact that I was about to become one of them.
I’d never heard of a nurse practitioner (NP) until I got to know the amazing NPs who provided me with such compassionate care. My whole life, I’d wanted to be an elementary school teacher, but my mom encouraged me to switch gears and pursue an NP career. I could still work with children by specializing in pediatrics.
Fast-forward a few years to my first day as an NP student at St. Jude, and I’m meeting Dr. Belinda Mandrell, who was coordinating my clinical rotation. That she’d become my longtime mentor and eventual boss was unbeknownst to either of us as she encouraged me to apply for the post-graduate NP fellowship at St. Jude and welcomed me back to campus as a fellow later that year.
While I was in college, my mom would periodically ask me to go to the library to photocopy articles about ALL treatment and long-term survivorship. I was still receiving maintenance therapy, and there was not much information available on the internet at the time.
She made me promise not to read them (fear of information overload?), so it wasn’t until I was set to interview for an NP position with the St. Jude Leukemia & Lymphoma service that she mentioned Dr. Pui was an author of many of those papers. I think the conversation went something like this. My mom said, ‘When you meet him, tell him I’ve read lots of his articles!’ I said, ‘No. That’s weird! He’s not John Grisham!’
It wasn’t long after starting my dream job in the clinic that I began to understand and appreciate the enormous impact that St. Jude researchers like Dr. Pui and countless others had on advancing the cure rates and improving the quality of life of all children with cancer, including myself. Though I was treated elsewhere, I’m a direct beneficiary of the advances St. Jude has made in methotrexate pharmacodynamics and the pursuit to replace cranial radiation with intrathecal therapy. I feel incredibly fortunate not only to be cured of leukemia but also to be free of the late effects that so many of my fellow long-term childhood cancer survivors suffer from.
Emily Browne, director of the St. Jude Transition Oncology Program, holds a picture of herself at 17 years old when she was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
Nearly 10 years later, I got the itch to return to school for my doctoral degree and moved into a role in the Division of Nursing Research supporting the professional development of nurses, advanced practice providers and other patient care staff. I got to do a lot of teaching, which I loved, and helped bring several new initiatives to St. Jude including Schwartz Rounds and what is now the Nursing Research and Psychosocial Services Symposium.
But I really missed interacting with patients, and when the new Transition Oncology Program (TOP) was developed, I was excited to shift into a role that blended direct patient care with leadership and program development. TOP is all about supporting the psychosocial and physical health needs of patients and families as they transition off cancer-directed therapy and for the next few years of early survivorship. This is an understudied and often under supported phase of the treatment trajectory when families re-engage with their local communities and are trying to figure out their ‘new normal’ after cancer. I can personally attest to it being a time that can be simultaneously exciting and scary.
The 25th anniversary of my diagnosis was in September 2020, and I wanted a nice gold ribbon pin for Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. One day, I was shopping at an antique store and found the perfect pin. It was even made in Memphis in the early 1960s, around the time St. Jude opened its doors. I treasure it and wear it every day in September to honor patients and families impacted by childhood cancer and the clinicians and researchers who are making a difference every day. It’s a way to honor the memory of my friends and patients I’ve cared for who have died. I also wear it to remind myself of my personal journey, that I might use my experience as a source of insight, empathy and internal motivation in my work.
Over the past 21 years, I’ve moved from Leukemia & Lymphoma to Nursing Research and now am with TOP as part of Psychosocial Services. It’s been amazing to experience different career paths without ever leaving St. Jude. I’ve learned so much in each role, and they are very different. Do I have a favorite? No, that would be like asking me to pick
my favorite cat! The common thread though is long-lasting friendships with incredible co-workers who are united around a common mission. I can’t imagine working anywhere else!”