Richard
8 years old, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, Venezuela
Richard was an active child who liked to swim and hang out with his friends. But when he started to complain about knee pain, his mother, Monica, took him to the doctor in their home country of Venezuela. The doctor thought Richard had scoliosis, a curving of the spine. Richard began wearing orthopedic shoes. But two weeks later, his parents were concerned that he still wasn’t feeling well.
Monica took Richard to the hospital, where a series of tests revealed devastating news. Richard suffered from non-Hodgkin lymphoma, tumors of the peripheral lymph nodes. Richard’s parents asked the doctor what he would do if his child had cancer, and he referred them to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
At St. Jude, Richard began chemotherapy. He is responding well to treatment. Richard likes to play games on his Play Station and draw. He’s also into sports. He has a green belt in karate, and he likes soccer.