Local family shares their experience with St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital
Allie Anthony
Time is running out for a chance to win the Coachella Valley St. Jude Dream Home giveaway.
Call the number on your screen to reserve your ticket by today, and you’ll be eligible to win the house built by GHA Companies and the last chance prize — a $10,000 home shopping and design spree, courtesy of BoConcept of Southern California.
Tickets are available now by calling 1-800-535-6748 or you can learn more by visiting https://www.stjude.org/give/dream-home/coachella-valley.html.
All proceeds from our St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway ticket sales go directly towards St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and their fight to end childhood cancer.
The giveaway will take place on Tuesday, April 29th, and if you want to see this house for yourself, there will be open houses from 10 am to 4 pm.
News Channel 3’s Allie Anthony has an incredible story about a local family that understands the impact of St. Jude from their own experience.
Natalie Tanner was only three months old when she was diagnosed with a cancerous brain tumor.
“I don’t remember anything at all,” Natalie said.
But her mother, Kristen, will never forget that life-changing moment.
“As a parent during that sort of start really planning instead for them not being here in the future rather than planning for their future,” Kristen said.
When doctors told the family that Natalie has less than a 20% chance of surviving. They knew they needed to find another doctor’s opinion.
“One of the first hospitals we contacted was St. Jude and the response we got from them was just so overwhelmingly, supportive and caring, and even though her chance of survival still was not great we felt like they had so much hope that she could make it and live and go onto live at a beautiful life,” Kristen said.
And after treatment, brain surgeries, and well, as Kristen believes, a touch of divine intervention, something incredible happened.
“Back when she had just turned one year old. A day after her first birthday, which we had celebrated at St. Jude with balloons and confetti, the next day we walked out of those same front door, doors, cancer free, and that is how Natalie has remained ever since,” Kristen said.
Natalie, now 18, is a student at Xavier Prep, a trumpet player in the jazz band and orchestra, and a shining example of hope. She doesn’t remember the fight that once defined her, but she carries its miracle. and sometimes, She goes back—to the place that helped save her life.
“Every year when I go back, they remember me,” Natalie said.
Now it’s your turn to give back to families just like the Tanners. Your Dream Home ticket reservation makes it possible for St. Jude to provide care to children at no cost at all for their families.