Raise funds for cancer treatments

The teenager is part of the St. Jude Leadership Society, a program that raises funds for children with cancer.

In early 2022, 14-year-old Isabella Ramos set out to raise $5,000 to support St, Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which treats children with cancer and other terminal illnesses for free. The initiative was born from a close experience, in which one of her friends suffered from leukemia and later died.

Isabella decided to apply to the St. Jude Leadership Society, a program whose mission is to raise funds to donate to the hospital. According to the teenager, on a national scale, she has been the first to be selected in said program.

“I decided to apply because in my heart I felt that it was such a beautiful cause for all the things that hospital has done. It is the most important hospital for childhood cancer and other diseases in the world,” said the young woman.

Founded in 1962, St. Jude Hospital is a pediatric treatment and research center that focuses on children, but also cares for adolescents and young adults up to age 21, and sometimes 25.

The hospital treats cancer, blood disorders and life-threatening diseases. Its mission “is to achieve advances in cures and means of prevention of catastrophic childhood illnesses, through research and development of treatments,” reads its website.

The interest in collaborating with the St. Jude hospital, says Isabella, was driven by the fact that her friend Diego Mina was a patient there. At 8 years old, Diego had to face his first battle against leukemia, after 3 years of treatment he defeated him, but at 14 years old, the cancer returned. It was there that his parents looked for the St Jude alternative.

The hospital accepted his case and provided him with tickets to travel to the United States. Also free food and treatment. However, after some complications from the disease, he passed away in 2019.

“St. Jude extended his life by many years. My friend died (…) but it helped him in so many things, it opened its doors and made a difference in his life and I am still very grateful that they supported him all what he needed, until the last moment”, said Ramos with conviction.

To raise the money, the young woman has been carrying out different activities; including breakfast. On May 21, she will carry out the third activity, which is a conference. This will take place in Sal y Luz, at 3 in the afternoon. The donation will be $15 and everything will go to benefit the hospital.

There are also other ways to donate, by visiting the website: events.stjude.org/isaramos. There appears the profile of the young woman and several options to donate.