Meet St. Jude Childrens' Research Hospital Patient of the Month

Rebekah Picket
3 years old

Diagnosis:

Rebekah was found to have acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), the most common form of childhood cancer, in December 2005.

Rebekah's story:

Just after Halloween, Laura and David noticed that their daughter not only had a fever, but also seemed to be developing in reverse. She started to wobble when she walked, and within a week, she couldn't even crawl.

This seemed especially cruel because Rebekah was a toddler who loved nothing better than to test her legs and run with fearless abandon. Whatever was happening to Rebekah not only made her sick, but also stole her spirit.

Alarmed, Laura and David took Rebekah to the pediatrician, but tests failed to explain the mystery of her condition. Eventually, the doctor decided that Rebekah had an inflammation of her hip joint and should get better on her own, in time.

Rebekah did get better and even started walking. For weeks it seemed to Laura and David that all their worry, though natural enough, had been much ado about nothing—Rebekah was fine. Then Laura found two lumps on Rebekah, and the fears she'd held at bay came back with a vengeance.

After a return trip to the pediatrician revealed nothing new, Rebekah was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for further testing. "We just wanted to know what was wrong with her," said Laura.

At St. Jude

The medical professionals at St. Jude found that little Rebekah suffered from ALL; her treatment would need to start immediately. Laura and David were devastated, but in their darkest hour, they found comfort at St. Jude. Rebekah's doctor said that ALL could be beaten in most instances. "The more I sat and thought about it," said Laura, "the more I really thought, as horrible as it sounds, 'I can be thankful for that.'"

Rebekah is currently on a 14-month chemotherapy protocol that ends in December. If St. Jude had simply treated Rebekah's cancer, it would have been enough, but the hospital does so much more. The hospital offers planned activities for the entire family. "I don't know any other hospital that does all that,” says Laura. "It's just a pretty amazing place."

St. Jude was built with kids in mind, and there's lots of room for Rebekah to break into a sprint. Laura lovingly describes St. Jude as "a playground that also has doctors in it."