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Meet Ty

When Ty was 2 years old, his family noticed that in certain lighting conditions, there appeared to be a flat whiteness in the center of his right eye.

The eye doctor recommended Ty be taken for scans, which confirmed he had a rare eye cancer called retinoblastoma. After a referral to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital®, his family learned exactly what was at stake. The tumor filled Ty’s eye socket and had spread to the surrounding tissues.

It was necessary to remove Ty’s right eye. After surgery, he underwent chemotherapy. But one thing his parents did not have to worry about was the cost, because families never receive a bill from St. Jude for treatment, travel, housing or food.

"Ty never complained,” said his mom. “He just pushed through it...so strong, stronger than we were." Even at his young age, Ty had a special interest that seemed to take his mind off treatment: art. St. Jude staff always made sure to have art supplies waiting for him in recovery from procedures.

Cancer has been in Ty’s past for more than a decade now. But art is still very much a part of his life. And so is St. Jude.