St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

St. Jude is a leading children's hospital pioneering research and treatments for kids with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. The mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. 

Location and Contact

St. Jude Children's Research Hospital
262 Danny Thomas Place
Memphis, TN 38105   
T: (866) 278-5833
Website: www.stjude.org/

Helpful Phone Numbers

  • Appointments for New Patients: (888) 226-4343 (toll-free)
  • Reach a Patient: (901) 595-3300 
  • Reach a Family Member: (901) 595-2305 
  • Visiting Hours 
  • Request Medical Records: (866) 278-5833

Cancers Treated

St. Jude's treats children with cancer, blood diseases, and related life-threatening diseases. We take many of the toughest cases. This often includes children who do not respond well to standard treatments.

A full list of the cancers and diseases treated at this institution can be viewed online.

Directions

Driving

Flying

Airports

Memphis International Airport

Memphis International Airport is a civil-military airport seven miles southeast of downtown Memphis, in Shelby County, Tennessee.

Location & Contact

2491 Winchester Rd
Memphis, TN 38116
T: (901) 922-8000

Airport Shuttle

Shuttle service to and from Memphis International Airport is arranged through the Patient Services Department. This service is offered at no cost to the patient and one (1) parent. Tennessee Carriers provides the airport shuttle service for St. Jude. This service operates seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The Travel Office staff will automatically schedule shuttle service from the airport to St. Jude when they process your airline tickets. Tennessee Carriers will be waiting for you in the Northwest Airlines baggage claim area near the escalator. The driver will hold a sign that reads "St. Jude Patient Pickup." If the driver is not there when you arrive, please wait at least 20 minutes. Then, call (901) 595-4501. 

Requests for shuttle service to the airport must be made at least one (1) day in advance.vTo arrange this service, call Patient Services at (901) 595-4501. If you are in the hospital, dial extension 4501. If you are outside the Memphis area, call toll-free at (866) 2STJUDE (1-866-278-5833) and dial 4501 when the call connects. You may call Patient Services Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Travel Assistance

After your child is accepted as a patient, St. Jude offers help with travel plans and costs for the patient and one parent/guardian for planned treatments and check ups. If you live more than 35 miles and less than 300 miles from St. Jude, the hospital will arrange bus or rail travel for you or pay for auto mileage. If you live more than 300 miles from St. Jude, the hospital will arrange bus, rail, or air travel or cover the cost of auto mileage or a rental car. Except for auto mileages, you must request all help with travel (plans and cost) in advance. After your child's first visit to St. Jude, you should arrange air travel 14 days before you need to arrive in Memphis or as soon as you receive your child's next appointment schedule.

  • To make air travel or rental car reservations, call the St. Jude Travel Office. If you are outside the Memphis area, dial toll-free 1-866-278-5833, and press 3#. If you are in the local area, call 595-5000.  After the first visit, the St. Jude Travel Office should make all air travel and rental car reservations. 
  • To schedule bus, rail, or local transportation, call Patient Services.  If you are outside the Memphis area, dial toll-free 1-866-278-5833 and enter extension 4501. For local calls, dial 595-4501. After the first visit, the St. Jude Patient Services office should schedule all bus or rail travel. 

Hospital Vans

Hospital shuttle buses will take you back and forth between St. Jude and the Ronald McDonald House, Target House, Tri Delta Place, or your hotel. You are not charged for this service.

The shuttle buses run a continuous loop on this schedule:

  • Sunday through Friday from 6:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m.
  • Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For special transport requests, call Patient Services at (901) 595-4501. Direct your requests for after-hours emergency transport to the nursing coordinator. You can reach a nursing coordinator by calling the switchboard at (901) 595-3300.

Since the shuttles follow a set route, drivers cannot honor requests for side trips to restaurants and other locations. One of the shuttle buses makes periodic trips to the Kroger grocery story and Walgreen's drugstore closest to St. Jude. Ask about this service at your housing facility.

If you have called for a special pick-up, please meet the shuttle at the correct time and place. This will ensure prompt service for others. Also, we ask that you follow these rules:

  • No smoking, eating or drinking on the shuttle buses.
  • Food and drink should be in sealed containers to prevent spills.
  • Seat belts must be worn at all times.
  • Children 4 years old and younger must ride in child restraint seats. Children 4 to 8 years old must be in booster seats if they are less than five feet tall. These are Tennessee state laws with no exceptions. Parents who do not put their children in safety seats will not be able to use the hospital shuttles. Child safety seats are offered on all shuttles.
  • Children under the age of 16 must be with an adult when riding the shuttle bus.

Parking

Free on-campus parking is available for patients and visitors. You will be provided with further instructions at our security gates, including how to acquire and display parking passes.

Parking Hangtags

Security issues parking hangtags and instructions at the information desks in the Patient Care Center and the Chili's Care Center. When your vehicle is on the St. Jude campus, you must display parking hangtags where security officers can see them. 

Parking is prohibited in the blood donor and pavilion parking lots, fire lanes, and other restricted areas. These areas are clearly marked. Violations of parking policies could lead to parking tickets, towing, or loss of St. Jude campus parking privileges.

Valet Parking

Valet parking is offered free to patients and their immediate family members and caregivers Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. If you desire valet parking, drive into the Chili's Care Center circle drive and stop at the valet parking station, located in front of the building. An attendant will help you. Please be sure to have your temporary parking hangtag with you. (Hang tags can be obtained at the PCC information desk). If you need to access your car after regular valet hours, you can get your car keys from the security guard at the PCC information desk.

Patient families can also park their own vehicles in the patient parking portion of the lot, west of the Chili's Care Center, or park in the north garage. If you have questions, please call Security at (901) 595-4444.

Security

Security measures and shuttle buses are in place for your safety and ease of travel:

  • The gated and fenced parking area has a 24-hour guard booth, security officer and roving patrol. Patients and their families are strongly encouraged to use this lot instead of parking on Jackson Avenue or 3rd Street where there is no security. 
  • A 15-passenger shuttle bus operates from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday through Friday. On Saturdays and holidays, it runs from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. A shuttle schedule with detailed pickup times is available at the Patient Care Center, Chili's Care Center and all housing facilities. The shuttle runs continuously so waiting times are short. All shuttle buses are equipped with wheelchair lifts for your convenience. (After hours, call Security at (901) 595-4444 for transport from the hospital to housing facility.)

Parking Reminders

  • Do not park in reserved or designated spaces or areas. They are marked with signs.
  • There is a 10-minute time limit when dropping off or picking up in front of the Patient Care Center. Flashers must be on. 
  • Make sure you have all your belongings when leaving the shuttle bus. 
  • Report any accidents or thefts to Security at (901) 595-4444.
  • Specific areas are designated as specific parking areas for inpatients, for outpatients and for visitors.

Lodging

For many families who travel to St. Jude for treatment, free housing is available close to campus for up to four family members.

If your child needs treatment that requires an overnight stay and you live more than 35 miles from St. Jude, your stay will be arranged at one of these St. Jude-sponsored facilities:

  • Short-term lodging facility: Tri Delta Place is located on campus near the hospital. It is reserved for St. Jude patients and families who need lodging for the first 1-7 days.
  • Mid-term lodging facility: The Ronald McDonald House is for St. Jude patients and families who need lodging for 8-90 days.
  • Long-term lodging facility: St. Jude patients who need lodging for 90 days or more will be assigned to Target House.

As soon as you receive your child's next appointment schedule, call Patient Services at (901) 595-4501 to reserve lodging for your visit. Housing placements are based on length of stay, medical needs and availability.

If you have questions about St. Jude housing guidelines, contact one of the following:

  • Patient Services: (901) 595-4501
  • Outside the Memphis area, call toll-free: (866) 278-5833 (866-2ST-JUDE), extension 4501 
  • Social Work: (901) 595-3670

Your First Appointment

When You Arrive

Registration

When you arrive at St. Jude, your first stop will be Patient Registration. Patient Registration is located near the lobby of the Patient Care Center (PCC). You or your taxi will use the driving directions to arrive at the hospital.

Each hospital gate has security 24/7. Security will direct you to the Patient Care Center, where staff will help you park during the day.

Information for Your First Visit

Here is the information you should bring for your first visit:

  • Your Social Security number
  • Your child's Social Security number
  • Proof of custody if you are divorced or not the child's natural parent.

Your first visit may take longer than usual as St. Jude staff gather necessary information from you. After we have your child's information, a staff member will begin your child's medical chart. 

Patient Identification (ID) Armband

Each time you visit, your child must receive an identification (ID) armband. You will receive this at the Patient Registration desk. You will also receive a schedule card that lists the areas your child needs to visit that day. The ID armband should be removed when your child leaves for the day.

Patient Registration

Patient Registration Hours

The Patient Registration Office is open:

  • Monday through Friday: 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.
  • Saturday and Sunday: 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m.

When Patient Registration is closed, the nursing coordinator will fill out a brief registration. Another staff member will talk to you at a later time to complete the needed paperwork.

Personal and Contact Information Updates

If you have changes in your phone number, address, insurance, emergency contacts, or other important details, please call Patient Registration.

  • If you are in the hospital, dial 3342.
  • If you are in Memphis, dial (901) 595-3342.
  • If you are outside the Memphis area, call (866) 2STJUDE (866-278-5833) and press 2#.

Consent Forms

Before your child begins treatment, the staff will ask you to read and sign a general consent form. When you sign this form you are allowing the St. Jude staff to do tests that can help us learn (or confirm) which illness is affecting your child. When test results come back, a St. Jude doctor will meet with you to discuss the findings and treatment options. At this time, you will hear about any clinical research studies that may be open to your child.

If you agree to the suggested treatment plan, a staff member will ask you to sign a second set of consent forms. These forms say that you choose to enroll your child in (or sign him up for) a clinical research study and that you agree to the treatment your child will receive.

It is very important that you understand all consent forms and proposed treatments. If you have any trouble reading or understanding these forms, please tell the staff. We want you to ask as many questions as needed for you to understand the information that the staff gives you. As your child's treatment progresses, you might be asked to sign other consent forms for certain tests and treatments.

Research Participant Advocate

St. Jude has a research participant advocate who is here to help answer your questions about your rights if you and your child choose to take part in a research study.

To reach the research participant advocate, call (901) 595-4644. If you are outside the Memphis area, dial toll-free (866) JUDE IRB (866-583-3472).

Cure4Kids

St. Jude Cure4Kids is a Web site dedicated to improving health care for children with cancer and other catastrophic diseases in countries around the globe. Cure 4 Kids provides continuing medical education focusing on cancer, pediatrics, oncology, and global communication tools to health care professionals and scientists worldwide. Explore this free resource and start collaborating worldwide!

Insurance

Insurance coverage is not a factor in accepting patients. If your child is accepted for admission and you do not have insurance, St. Jude will cover all treatment costs. If you have insurance, St. Jude will work with your health insurance and will cover all treatment costs not covered by your insurance.

St. Jude accepts all children within the United States who qualify for open clinical trials regardless of race, color, creed, disability, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or the family's ability to pay.

Financial Assistance Policy

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to ensure that St. Jude's financial assistance policy is in compliance with federal law, specifically the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA) and applicable regulations.

Scope

This policy applies to all St. Jude departments or divisions that provide services to patients.

Policy

1. Financial Assistance Policy

  • Individuals are cared for at St. Jude regardless of ability to pay. All St. Jude patients are eligible to participate in the hospital's financial assistance program. Individuals are accepted as patients at St. Jude under the New Patient Acceptance Policy (Policy 20.129).
  • All services received at St. Jude in all St. Jude departments or divisions are subject to this financial assistance policy.

2. Emergency Medical Care

  • St. Jude does not have an Emergency Department, so it does not provide care for emergency medical conditions within the meaning of EMTALA (42 U.S.C. ?1395dd). St. Jude provides urgent care to all St. Jude patients, as needed, on a nondiscriminatory basis. St. Jude will not bill or pursue payment from patients for these urgent care services.

Procedure

1. Financial Assistance

  • St. Jude patients are not required to apply for assistance; they receive the benefit of this Financial Assistance Policy by virtue of their status as patients. St. Jude currently does not bill nor pursue payment from any St. Jude patient. A billing system is maintained for each patient, but bills are not sent to any patient. If the patient has insurance, the hospital does bill the patient's health insurance plan, or third party payer. St. Jude covers all treatments, copays, deductibles, and coinsurance and any other cost sharing obligations that are not covered by insurance. St. Jude takes no action to collect from patients or their families and does not report to credit agencies.

2. Emergency Medical Care

  • Urgent care may be delivered to existing St. Jude patients in the St. Jude Medicine Room. The St. Jude Medicine Room is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, including holidays. Services include but are not limited to providing chemotherapy (cancer-fighting drugs) and blood products, as well as treatment for central line problems, fever, or other acute illnesses and injuries related to the catastrophic diseases treated at St. Jude and consistent with the symptoms of diagnosis and treatment of a patient's condition, disease, ailment or injury. St. Jude will evaluate patients and others in the St. Jude Medicine Room or elsewhere in the hospital for potential emergencies, initiate treatment and transport them to an emergency department at another hospital when appropriate. If transport of an existing St. Jude patient to a facility with an emergency department is required, St. Jude will bill the patient's health insurance plan or third party payer if such coverage exists. St. Jude covers all treatments, copays, deductibles, and coinsurance and any other cost sharing obligations that are not covered by insurance, and St. Jude will not bill or pursue payment from St. Jude patients for any services provided by St. Jude to patients, including urgent care services, emergency medical services or transport. St. Jude prohibits any activity that would discourage its patients from seeking emergency medical care.

Definitions

  1. Emergency medical conditions - a medical condition manifesting itself by acute symptoms of sufficient severity (including severe pain) such that the absence of immediate medical attention could reasonably be expected to result in: (i) placing the health of the individual in serious jeopardy; (ii) serious impairment to bodily functions; or (iii) serious dysfunction of any bodily organ or part.
  2. EMTALA - Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act

Forms and Other Documents

Services and Amenities

Meals

St. Jude offers help with the cost of meals for the patient and one (1) parent by issuing a St. Jude Meal Card or a grocery store gift card.

Meal cards are activated for the number of days and meals for which the patient is eligible. The card can be programmed for up to seven days in a row. The meal card is programmed for specific dollar amounts and time periods. These amounts and times depend on the type of meals requested--breakfast, lunch, or dinner--and on the patient's status--inpatient or outpatient. You can use the meal card at the hospital cafeteria for all meals. However, St. Jude meal cards cannot be used off campus.

When families check in at Tri Delta Place, their meal cards will be activated to serve as room keys, as well. When issued, two meal cards are programmed so each family will have two room keys. The meal cards are reusable, so please deposit your inactive meal cards at the front desk when checking out of Tri Delta Place. You can also place your used, inactive meal cards in the cafeteria drop box or in the drop box at the Patient Services window. 

St. Jude offers grocery store gift cards to patient families staying in Ronald McDonald House or Target House. Parents can request the grocery store gift cards weekly in Patient Services, Monday-Friday 9 am-3:30 pm. A family's weekly allotment of gift cards may vary depending on where the patient is staying. A parent at the Ronald McDonald House or Target House may choose to receive a St. Jude meal card instead of a grocery store gift card if the patient becomes an inpatient. If the patient's status changes in the middle of the week, the meal card can be traded in for a grocery store gift card.

Local patients and those staying in short-term lodging are not eligible for grocery store gift cards.

Where to Eat

The hospital cafeteria is on the first floor of the ALSAC Tower, which is the building next to and connected to the Patient Care Center. The main hallway on the north side of the Patient Care Center will lead you to the Kay Kafe. Just before you reach the Kay Kafe, you will see a Starbucks Coffee(R) stand and a group of vending machines, ATM machines, a bill changer, microwave ovens and a few tables and chairs.

St. Jude Cafeteria Hours

Monday through Friday

  • Breakfast: 7 to 11 a.m. (Hot food line closes at 10 a.m.)
  • Lunch: 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Hot food line closes at 2 p.m.)
  • Dinner: 4 to 7 p.m. (Deli, pizza areas open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.)

Weekend and Holidays

  • Breakfast: 7:30 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Hot food line closed at 10 a.m.)
  • Lunch and Dinner: (Deli, pizza areas open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.)

*The cafeteria accepts cash, St. Jude meal cards, MasterCard, Visa.

To call Food Service, dial (901) 595-3307 or page #1689.

Snack Bags

Snack bags are offered free for outpatients while at St. Jude for treatment. You first pick up snack bag tickets in the Patient Services office when you arrive. Each snack bag contains three snack items and a beverage.

Registered Dietitians

Registered dietitians are here to offer you advice and ideas about your child's nutritional needs. They can also help you with food-related problems. You can reach the dietitian for your primary clinic by calling the Clinical Nutrition office at (901) 595-3318.

Food Safety

You may eat your meals in the hospital room with your child, but opened food must be thrown out after one hour in a patient room. After that amount of time, bacteria that could be harmful to your child can grow on the food.

Food cannot be stored in your child's room. Food attracts insects that can transmit disease.

Food prepared outside the hospital and brought to your child's room should be stored in the Nutrition Center refrigerator on each floor. Write your child's name and the current date on each food item container. Unused food will be removed every three days or right away if it is spoiled.

School Program

School is a normal part of childhood. For children undergoing treatment, school can offer a familiar and reassuring routine, as well as a feeling of being in step with the outside world. School gives children a chance to keep a sense of identity and normalcy.

The St. Jude School Program by Chili's allows patients to continue normal educational activities and provides re-entry services to ease them back to their community schools.

The program offers several services to assist patients with their academic progress. We also have resources for teachers to help their students returning to school after treatment.

Each child enrolled in the School Program receives at least three hours of instruction each week. The program encourages patients to use books and assignments from their home schools. Assignments can be sent to St. Jude by fax, mail or email. We provide curriculum materials if it is not possible to get assignments from your child's home school.

Kindergarten Graduation at St. Jude

The St. Jude School Program is accredited as a Special Purpose School by AdvancedEd. There are currently six teachers, two ESL coordinators and a school liaison at St. Jude to provide instruction for patients in grades K-12. The School Program includes classrooms, a computer learning lab, a parent/family waiting area and separate teacher offices.

The classrooms are open every day. Teachers are available for instruction at different times. Please check with your child's teacher to learn when he or she is available.

My St. Jude

My St. Jude is an online site where you can view, but not change, parts of your (your child's) medical health record.

Security

My St. Jude is a secure website. Your (your child's) information is protected.

View Medical Record

At My St. Jude, you can view your (your child's): selected lab results, allergies, problem list, and inpatient discharge instructions.

View Schedule and Request Schedule Changes

At My St. Jude, you can view upcoming appointments and send requests to the St. Jude scheduler to set, change, or cancelappointments.

Update Personal Information

My St. Jude allows you to see your (your child's) personal information such as address, phone number, and insurance. You can send a request to the Patient Registration staff to update this information.

Download and Transmit Health Information

At My St. Jude, you can link to an application that will let you view and download a summary of care provided during any inpatient admission occurring after October 1, 2016. In addition, you can transmit an electronic copy of this health information to another health care provider. This application is outside of the St. Jude patient portal and owned by a partner company. This service is free.

Voluntary

You are not required to sign up for My St. Jude. Your (your child's) treatment will not be affected if you choose not to take part.

Additional Services

Learn more about the support services offered at St. Jude.

Why choose us?

Seeking Treatment at St. Jude

Why St. Jude?

Our mission is simple: finding cures and saving children. Our approach to fulfilling this mission makes us different from most children's hospitals. St. Jude focuses solely on treatment and research for children with cancer and other life-threatening diseases. We often treat diseases that do not respond well to standard treatments. We also develop new treatments that could prove more effective or have fewer side effects.

How are patients accepted?

St. Jude continuously develops new, improved treatments. We offer these treatments through clinical trials, also called research studies or protocols. To be accepted for treatment at St. Jude, your child must be eligible for one of St. Jude's open clinical trials , or meet one of the additional criteria listed below. They also must be referred by a physician or qualified medical professional. Physicians should visit our Physician Referral page for information.

What is a clinical trial?

A clinical trial is a research study created to learn more about an experimental treatment or a behavior. The experimental treatment could be a:
  • new drug
  • group of drugs not commonly used together
  • medical device, as in surgery or radiation therapy
  • vaccine
  • procedure, such as a bone marrow transplant

For more information, visit Clinical Trials at St. Jude.

Is my child eligible for a clinical trial?

Each St. Jude clinical trial has specific requirements for acceptance. These include:
  • age range
  • type and stage of disease
  • other exact medical criteria (for example, organ function, blood values, performance scores, etc.)
Your child's physician should contact us as early as possible, because some of our trials only accept children if they have not yet begun treatment.

How do I contact St. Jude?

If you are a parent, please call the Physician/Patient Referral Office (888) 226-4343, or visit thePhysician/Patient Referral Office page. If your child has a brain tumor, please see specific eligibility requirements for brain tumors. If you are a clinician, please contact the Physician/Patient Referral Office, or fill out the Physician Referral form.

What additional criteria does St. Jude use to be accepted for treatment?

In addition to accepting children eligible for one of St. Jude's open clinical trials, we may also accept children with diseases we treat who live in our geographic area. Your child may also qualify for treatment at St. Jude providing he or she has a disease we are able to treat and we have sufficient capacity within the treatment program. If your child is not eligible for an open St. Jude clinical trial, we can offer suggestions for a hospital near your home for treatment. One of our affiliate clinics may be the closest hospital to you. We also can provide ongoing consults with the medical team caring for your child at a non-St. Jude affiliated hospital.

If you live outside the United States, there may be occasional opportunities to join a clinical trial at St. Jude. We also support International Partner clinics, as well as offer consultations with physicians outside the U.S. Please ask your doctor to contact our Physician/Patient Referral Office for more information.

Insurance/Payment Information

Insurance coverage is not a factor in accepting patients. If your child is accepted for admission and you do not have insurance, St. Jude will cover all treatment costs. If you have insurance, St. Jude will work with your health insurance and will cover all treatment costs not covered by your insurance.
St. Jude accepts all children within the United States who qualify for open clinical trials regardless of race, color, creed, disability, national origin, ethnicity, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or the family's ability to pay.

Our Mission

The mission of St. Jude Children's Research Hospital is to advance cures, and means of prevention, for pediatric catastrophic diseases through research and treatment. Consistent with the vision of our founder Danny Thomas, no child is denied treatment based on race, religion or a family's ability to pay.

Family Centered Care

At the heart of patient family-centered care is the belief that health care staff and the family are partners, working together to best meet the needs of the child. Excellence in health care happens when we work together and honor the expertise each of us brings to every health encounter. Patient family-centered care is a continual effort to be responsive to the needs and choices of each family.

The core concepts of Patient Family Centered Care are:

  • Dignity and Respect - To listen to and honor patient and family ideas and choices and to use patient and family knowledge, values, beliefs and cultural backgrounds to improve care planning and delivery.
  • Information Sharing - To communicate and share complete and unbiased information with patients and families in useful ways. Patients and families receive timely, complete and accurate details so they can take part in care and decision making.
  • Involvement - To encourage and support patients and families in care and decision making at the level they choose.
  • Collaboration - To invite patients and family members to work together with health care staff to develop and evaluate policies and programs.

The core concepts of Patient Family Centered Care place value on:

  • Recognizing that each child and each family is unique. Families have different personalities, life experiences, values, beliefs, education, and religious and cultural backgrounds. Care provided should be equal to all patients and flexible so that the needs and choices of families can be met.
  • Open honest communication between patients, their families, and health care staff. Being willing to talk about the bad as well as the good is important for changing, improving, and developing best care practices and policies. This kind of clear communication enhances the patient's and family's health care experience.
  • Empowering of families to join in their child's health care journey. When families and patients understand their options, they are empowered to be involved in their child's care.
  • Acknowledging that families are allies for quality and safety within the health care system. By working together, families and staff are strengthened by their partnership and shared knowledge. This results in the highest quality of care.