>>> WE’RE BACK WITH OUR ANNUAL SERIES THANKS AND GIVING.
CELEBRATING 15 YEARS
HIGHLIGHTING THE LIFE SAVING
WORK DONE AT THE ST. JUDE’S
HOSPITAL.
HOSPITAL. WE’RE GOING TO TALK TO MARLO.
FIRST, AN INSPIRING STORY OF
PERSEVERANCE AND A FUTURE THAT
MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN WERE IT NOT
FOR ST. JUDE.
>> I HOPE I CAN COUNT ON YOUR
VOTE.
VOTE. >> 30-YEAR-OLD GABBY IS A
FIGHTER.
FIGHTER. >> IT’S TIME TO CELEBRATE AND
WATCH OUR HARD WORK COME IN.
>> SHE VIGOROUSLY CAMPAIGNED IN
THE RECENT MIDTERMS TO UNSEAT AN
INCUMBENT IN THE TENNESSEE STATE
SENATE.
SENATE. >> THANK YOU, THANK YOU FOR
BELIEVING IN ME.
>> ALTHOUGH SHE LOST THE
ELECTION, SHOW KNOWS ALL TOO
WELL WHAT IT’S LIKE TO BE
DEFEATED AND COME BACK STRONGER.
GABBY IS NOT ONLY A FIGHTER.
SHE’S A SURVIVOR.
HER STORY CAUGHT THE ATTENTION
OF ACTRESS MARLO THOMAS AFTER
READING ABOUT A GYMNAST
DIAGNOSED WITH AN AGGRESSIVE
TYPE OF BONE CANCER WHO
STRUGGLED TO GET MEDICAL CARE.
>> I COULDN’T BELIEVE IT.
THIS LITTLE GIRL WHOSE LIFE WAS
ON THE LINE WAS RELEASED FROM
THE HOSPITAL BECAUSE HER FAMILY
ISN’T HAVE THE MONEY.
I THOUGHT IF THERE WAS ANY CHILD
THAT SIGNIFYIED WHY ST. JUDE WAS
THERE, IT WAS THIS LITTLE GIRL.
>> SHE ARRANGED FOR THE FAMILY
TO BE SENT TO ST. JUDE.
IT GARNERED ATTENTION.
>> SHE TURNED OUT OF A HOSPITAL
FOR LACK OF MONEY HAS BEEN SENT
TO TENNESSEE.
TO TENNESSEE. ONE THAT AGREED TO TREAT THE
KANSER IN HER SPINE FOR FREE.
>> SOON AFTER THE ARRIVAL, MAROL
MET THE LITTLE GIRL THAT WARMED
HER HEART.
HER HEART. >> I TURNED AROUND AND THERE WAS
GABBY RUNNING TO ME.
IT WAS ONE OF THE MOST THRILLING
MOMENTS OF MY LIFE.
>> THAT THRILLING MOMENT
FOSTERED A NURTURING FRIENDSHIP
NEEDED WHEN LIFE HANDED GABBY
MORE SETBACKS AND UNIMAGINABLE
GRIEF.
GRIEF. >> 13 MONTHS AFTER THE FAMILY
ARRIVED AT ST. JUDE, 55 MILES
EAST OF MEMPHIS A CRASH KILLED
HER BELOVED FATHER AND LITTLE
SISTER.
SISTER. IT PARALYZED HER THEN PREGNANT
MOTHER WHO SURVIVED DELIVERING A
BOY.
BOY. >> AS IF THAT WEREN’T ENOUGH,
MORE BATTLES HAD TO BE FOUGHT.
AT THE AGE OF 15 SHE WAS
DIAGNOSED WITH THYROID KANS
EVERY
EVERY CANCER.
CANCER. >> IT WAS SURGERY AND RADIATION.
MY SENIOR YEAR DURING A REGULAR
CHECKUP WE FOUND IT CAME BACK
AND I HAD TO GO THROUGH ANOTHER
ROUND OF RADIATION.
>> YEARS LATER SHE RETURNED TO
GIVE BACK TO THE HOSPITAL THAT
SAVED HER.
SAVED HER. >> I WANTED TO BE PART OF THE
GREAT SCIENCE HAPPENING THERE.
>> THIS IS WHERE OUR STORY
BEGAN.
BEGAN. >> TODAY THE HORIZON IS BRIGHTER
AND GABBY IS CANCER FREE.
>> I LOVE THIS PICTURE.
>> WORKING ON HER DOCTORATE IN
PHARMACEUTICAL SCIENCES BECAUSE
MOST OF HER LIFE HAS BEEN SPENT
IN HOSPITALS, HEALTH CARE IS A
PRIORITY FOR HER AS DID
POLITICS.
POLITICS. >> I WANTED TO RUN BECAUSE I
GREW UP IN A TIME WHERE
PREEXISTING CONDITIONS WERE A
THING, AND I WAS BEING
DISCRIMINATED BY INSURANCE
COMPANIES.
COMPANIES. >> I’M SO PROUD OF GABBY.
WHAT A YOUNG WOMAN SHE IS.
>> SHE LOST IN A TIGHT RACE, BUT
SHE CONSIDERS HERSELF WAY AHEAD
OF THE GAME.
>> MARLO IS MY ANGEL.
SHE’S THE REASON I’M ALIVE.
WITHOUT ST. JUDE, I WOULDN’T BE
HERE AND I WOULDN’T HAVE BEEN
ABLE TO DO ANY OF THE THINGS
I’VE DONE.
I’VE DONE. NEXT TIME YOU SEE ME, I’LL BE
DR. SALINAS.
DR. SALINAS. >> THAT IS EVERYTHING.
>> THE OUTREACH DIRECTOR OF ST.
JUDE.
JUDE. GOOD MORNING.
GOOD MORNING. >> DO YOU STILL SEE CASES LIKE
THIS WHERE CHILDREN ARE DENIED
MEDICAL CARE BECAUSE THEY DON’T
HAVE THE FUNDS?
>> YESTERDAY YOU WERE SAYING HOW
IMPRESSED YOU WERE THAT NOBODY
PAYS AT ST. JUDE.
THAT’S A MATTER OF LIFE AND
DEATH.
DEATH. GABBY WAS REJECTED BY A NEW YORK
HOSPITAL BECAUSE HER PARENTS
DIDN’T HAVE INSURANCE AND A DOWN
PAYMENT.
PAYMENT. SHE WOULD HAVE DIED WITHOUT THE
TREATMENT.
TREATMENT. WE HAD ANOTHER BOY.
HIS DOCTOR WANTED HIM TO HAVE A
SECOND BONE MARROW TRANSPLANT.
THE INSURANCE COMPANY STAMPED IT
UNNECESSARY.
UNNECESSARY. HE WAS ON HIS WAY TO HOSPICE.
HE CAME TO ST. JUDE.
NOW HE’S PLAYING ON THE GOLF
TEAM AT 16.
NOW CHILD SHOULD DIE BECAUSE THE
PARENTS DON’T HAVE THE MONEY OR
INSURANCE TO TAKE CARE OF THEM.
THAT’S WHAT THIS IS ABOUT.
WE’RE RAISING MONEY BECAUSE
WE’RE A NOT FOR PROFIT HOSPITAL.
NOBODY PAYS.
NOBODY PAYS. THIS IS OUR WAY OF PAYING FOR
EVERYTHING THAT WE NEED BECAUSE
WE MUST RAISE 78% OF OUR BUDGET
FROM THE PUBLIC.
WE’RE A NOT FOR PROFIT.
A PROFIT HOSPITAL HAS TO ONLY
RAISE 8% FROM THE HOSPITAL.
THIS IS THE LIFE BLOOD OF ST.
JUDE.
JUDE. >> YOUR STORIES THIS WEEK, THE
ST. JUDE STORIES HAVE REALLY
TOUCHED ALL OF US.
ALL OF US.
>> AND I LOVE HOW THEY TOUCH