St. Jude & ARS/Rescue Rooter Partnership

ARS/Rescue Rooter is a Proud Partner of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

ARS/Rescue Rooter is proud to support St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and its mission: Finding cures. Saving children®. Since 2018, ARS has raised more than $8 million to support St. Jude as they pioneer cures for childhood cancer and other life-threatening diseases. Breakthroughs in research and treatment have helped St. Jude advance the overall childhood cancer survival rate from 20% to 80% since the hospital opened its doors in 1962. Through branch donations, sponsorships, direct mail campaigns, nationwide sales events, and employee payroll giving, our network of more than 70 branches and 6,500 employees have helped St. Jude improve the quality of care for children everywhere. To learn more about our partnership, please visit our blog.
 

Please join us in supporting St. Jude by donating directly at www.stjude.org/comfortforacause.

St. Jude Patient of the Month: Brayden

Our St. Jude Patient of the Month is Brayden.

Brayden's Story

In the summer of 2018, after days of an unrelenting headache, Brayden was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor called medulloblastoma. On the day he should have started kindergarten, he underwent brain surgery instead.

Following surgery, Brayden was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®, where he received chemotherapy and proton therapy at the first proton therapy center in the world dedicated solely to children. After several months, Brayden went home cancer free. He stayed that way for five years.

During those years, his family relished the joy of the everyday: pushing Brayden on the swing, playing baseball in the backyard. “Just to be able to go for a walk and sit down and do homework with him, and he was healthy enough to be able to do that,” said his dad. “It was a great time.”

Then during a routine checkup at St. Jude, scans showed cancer in Brayden’s thyroid gland. He would have to return to St. Jude as a cancer patient for the second time. Since returning, Brayden has undergone two surgeries and will soon begin radioactive iodine treatment that will keep him isolated from his family for 48 hours after each dose.

Brayden is a sweet and loving kid with a ready smile, despite the challenges he has faced. “You can’t look at that smile and not smile back,” said his dad. “I think a lot of people can learn from him. I have.”

“Cancer is hard,” said Brayden. “You have to get through a lot, but St. Jude is wonderful.” Brayden loves video games and playing with his friends. He has two cats named Small Bones and Sticker and is a big Tennessee Titans fan.