St. Jude's Patient of the Month for April

Montana Oatman 3 years old

Diagnosis:
Montana was found to suffer from acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) in November 2007.

Montana's Story:
Montana’s parents were immediately concerned when their normally active 2-year-old son suddenly seemed tired all the time. “We could tell something was wrong because he wanted to go to bed at 5 o’clock at night,” Montana’s dad said. “It wasn’t like him.”

After two trips to the pediatrician, the family was no closer to an answer, and Montana’s parents worried something bigger might be to blame. They took Montana to a third doctor, who also sensed something wasn’t right. He ordered a blood test, which revealed devastating news: Montana was suffering from ALL.
“When we found out, it was so shocking,” Montana’s mom said. The doctor recommended that Montana come to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital for treatment right away.

At St. Jude:
At St. Jude, Montana’s parents felt instantly comforted.
“You walk inside, and you look up to see the brightly colored paintings,” Montana’s dad said. “It’s a beautiful place. More than that, medically, it was impressive. It gave you hope. You could tell they knew what they were doing.”
St. Jude doctors placed Montana on a three-year protocol of chemotherapy, and after three weeks of treatment, his family got the news every parent in this situation longs to hear: Montana was in remission. “I wasn’t expecting it that quickly,” Montana’s mom said. “It was the best moment.”
Today, Montana is able to continue chemotherapy from home, under the guidance of his St. Jude doctors. He returns to St. Jude every eight weeks for checkups, and Montana looks forward to these visits.
“Montana loves St. Jude and the people here despite the fact that some of the treatment is painful,” his dad said. “The fact that Montana loves St. Jude speaks volumes.”
Montana is once again able to enjoy his favorite things, like swimming and playing with his little sister. Plus, he’s getting ready to become a big brother for the second time.