Cancer Warrior Spotlight: Kenadie

St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital November Patient of the Month

Kenadie is an active little girl who likes to play with dolls and put on makeup and dresses. Sometimes, she likes to play softball, too.

In early 2023, Kenadie, who was 5 years old, began telling her mother that she felt pain in her legs. At first, doctors said that it was likely growing pains. Her mother, Felicia, felt it was something more.

Soon after, Kenadie was unable to walk. Felicia took her daughter to an emergency room in Tennessee. Doctors diagnosed Kenadie with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), a cancer that affects the white blood cells. These cells fight infection and help protect the body against disease.

Kenadie was referred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital®. Felicia said she had seen the St. Jude commercials on television and felt reassured after speaking to doctors about the treatment plan. Kenadie is currently receiving treatment, which includes chemotherapy.

“It kind of eased my worries. They were really reassuring,” she said. “They let me know she was in the best of care and the best of hands.”

Felicia said her daughter’s leg pain is gone, and she is walking again. She is grateful to St. Jude.

“The staff is friendly, and they do their best to try and ease the stress off the parents,” she said.

Kenadie wants to be a doctor when she grows up, a career choice, her mom said, that came after she started treatment at St. Jude.