Success Story

A persistent fever is what brought 4-year old Phineas to the doctor. But it was the rash on his stomach that looked alarmingly familiar to his parents. They had lost their 2-year-old daughter Althea to a different form of leukemia before Phineas was born. And it all started with the same kind of rash.

Phineas was diagnosed with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia. He started treatment immediately but chemotherapy didn’t work. He was part of the 1% of patients who are resistant to treatment.

There were no other options…except a long shot. It was a research study for a new kind of immunotherapy. In this clinical trial, Phineas’ immune cells were harvested, then modified in the lab to become special cells which would be injected back into his body to target and destroy cancer cells.

It worked! Thirty days after the procedure, the leukemia was gone. Today, Phineas is cancer free.

Studies like these in hospitals across the country are funded by grants from the St. Baldrick’s Foundation. Researchers say the hope to find cures for kids with cancer has never been greater. New discoveries and innovative treatments like the one Phineas received are saving kids’ lives.

Phineas’ dad Carlos says, “Our son would not be with us today if it weren’t for St. Baldrick’s and their direct support of childhood cancer research. We really can beat this! We all need to get up and hit the accelerator so more kids will be saved.”

Help give kids with cancer the promise of a lifetime by funding life-saving research.