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In July 2005, Lauren was discovered to have a tumor called neuroblastoma, a common solid tumor that affects children.

There was nothing special about one Saturday night in July 2005 for the Lewis family … at least not on the surface. But weeks later, Lauren’s mother, Benita, would point to that night as when her family came face to face with pediatric cancer.

That night, Lauren was unable to put weight on one of her legs, and she was crying in pain. Benita took her to the emergency room and a subsequent visit to the pediatrician’s office. Nothing could be found during either visit.

But the next weekend, Lauren developed a swollen area on her back. And Benita knew it was not from a fall. This swollen spot … Lauren’s painful cries a week earlier …  they were connected, Benita knew it.

One day later, a CT scan confirmed her intuition. Lauren had a tumor called neuroblastoma. “What do we do next?” Benita asked the doctor. The doctor told her that she was sending Lauren to the best place for her: St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Within an hour of learning their daughter had cancer the family drove home, packed and headed for St. Jude. Lauren quickly began chemotherapy. She also underwent surgery that removed 95 percent of the tumor while continuing her chemotherapy treatments.  On December 5, 2005, Lauren, who loves Barney the Dinosaur^® and Veggie Tales^®, was pronounced cancer-free. She has also received a bone marrow transplant and is now receiving radiation treatments to keep her cancer-free.

The Lewis family is appreciative of the donors who support St. Jude. “What they are doing helps a lot of families,” said Lauren’s father, Ken. “Their money is being used for good. I know it has helped my family.”