Education’s role in fighting cancer at St. Jude

MEMPHIS, TN (WTVQ) – Continuing education plays a key role for children battling cancer and other life-threatening diseases at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

An important component of treatment is making sure the patients keep up with their school work.

“School is what they should be doing.  School is normal.  If they weren’t at the hospital, they would be in school, so we want to continue that and make things as normal as possible,” said Laurie Leigh, Director of the St. Jude School Program.

Leigh is an acclaimed author and licensed school psychologist.  She has been at St. Jude more than three decades.  She said having the patients keep up with their school work sends a strong message that no one is giving up on them despite their condition.

She added that succeeding in the classroom is another way to defeat the illness.  And, that class work can reduce stress for a patient instead of adding to it while in the hospital.

“When the children come into the hospital and realize how long they’re going to have to be here and what this all means, yes, they do worry about their school work and whether they’ll have to repeat a grade.  That’s where we come in and say, don’t worry, we have this, we will take care of this for you and help you continue down your academic road,” said Leigh.

St. Jude works closely with each patient’s school back home, using the same curriculum and even having the child’s textbooks sent to the hospital.

Graduations are special days regardless of grade level at St. Jude.

“Other days that are also really good days are when patients come back to visit.  They were children when they were at St. Jude and then they return as healthy adults and bring their children.  Those are the days that make it all worth it,” Leigh said.

You can help all the children at St. Jude by purchasing a $100 raffle ticket(s) for a chance to win a $400,000 custom-built home in Lexington.  All the proceeds from the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway House Raffle go to St. Jude, which leads the world in understanding, treating and curing cancer and other life-threatening diseases.

Only 6,500 raffle tickets will be sold.  The drawing is Thursday, June 21, 2018, on ABC 36 News at 6:00 p.m.

To get your tickets call toll-free 1-800-382-7512 or online by clicking here.