Local family receives help from St. Jude after daughter diagnosed with brain cancer

On Wednesday, the Coachella Valley St. Jude Dream Home giveaway kicked off.

News Channel 3’s Caitlin Thropay was at the house and met with a local mother who shared her story of how St. Jude came alongside her family when her daughter was diagnosed with cancer. She also tells us how buying a ticket to win this dream home will help other families like hers who are battling childhood cancer.

Natalie Tanner was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor at 3 months old. Her chance of survival was less than 20 percent. That’s when Natalie’s family in Palm Desert sought care from St. Jude in Memphis, Tennessee.

“What was so appealing about the prospect of St. Jude treating her is that they are a research hospital. There findings can be applied directly to the bedside and because Natalie’s chances of survival were so low we needed that, and we needed them to act urgently,” Kristen Tanner, Natalie’s mother shared with News Channel 3.

She also told us how St. Jude took care of the whole family in their time of need.

“When you have a child who’s diagnosed with cancer it really becomes a situation where the whole family needs to be cared for,” Tanner said.

“They covered all of Natalie’s medical care. We never once saw a bill from St. Jude,” she added.

With the kickoff of the St. Jude Dream Home giveaway, you can help other families dealing with a child who has cancer.

“By buying a ticket to the St. Jude Dream House you are supporting so many families and the research that goes on at St. Jude on a daily basis,” she said.

Odette Gutierrez with St. Jude explains how the funds from ticket sales will help alleviate the burden of medical bills and other expenses.

“Thanks to the St. Jude dream home and everyone who buys their ticket for $100 no family at St. Jude will ever receive a bill. Not for their treatment, their travel, their housing or their food so that all that they have to focus on is helping that child live,” Gutierrez said.

“Today we now have a 12 year old who is now in middle school and enjoying life and without St. Jude we would not have had that opportunity,” Tanner said.

Please call 1-800-535-6748 to purchase a ticket.