Kentucky girl has spent her life fighting for her life at St. Jude

MEMPHIS, TN (WTVQ) – Four year old Zoey Smith of Murray, Kentucky, is described by her mom as a diva, stubborn, spunky and an old soul.

She is also a fighter.  She has spent most of her young life fighting for her life at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

What began as an apparent ear infection at 20-months old quickly became something much more serious.

September 5, 2015, Zoey Smith was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia.

“It was like your whole world just came crashing down.  It was awful.  It was the worst thing I’ve ever experienced,” said Zoey’s mother, Whitney Wadkins.

Three days after being diagnosed, Zoey arrived at St. Jude to begin two-and-a-half years of chemotherapy.  She went into remission, but in August 2017, the cancer returned.  She underwent a bone marrow transplant in January of this year.

Along the way, Zoey has had some complications.  She has been in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit twice.  Due to the nature of her illness and condition, she has spent much of her time at St. Jude in isolation.

“She’s almost 5-years old and she has no idea what Murray, Kentucky is even like since she was so young when we left.  She doesn’t even know that there’s a whole world out there,” said Whitney.

At St. Jude they don’t say we’re going to treat your child, but rather, we’re going to cure your child.  Whitney says beyond the life-saving treatment, St. Jude is special because the doctors, nurses and staff love the children like they would their own.  She describes it as a special place where they find cures and save lives.

She takes great comfort in the fact that despite being at St. Jude for the better part of three years now, she has never received a bill, not for travel to and from Memphis, food, lodging or for Zoey’s treatment.  That is made possible by donations to St. Jude.

Some of that money comes from the sale of $100 raffle tickets for a chance to win a St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway House like the one that was built this spring in Lexington, Kentucky.

The drawing for the $400,000 custom-built home is Thursday, June 21, 2018 on ABC 36 News at 6:00 p.m.

It’s not too late to buy a ticket(s) to help Zoey and all the other children being treated at St. Jude.

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