Warning: This article contains discussion of cancer which some readers may find distressing.
A teenager chose to use his one Make-A-Wish experience to support other people rather than focus on himself while undergoing treatment for a rare form of cancer.
Jude Baker was diagnosed with a condition that the National Cancer Institute says affects around three in one million people each year.
As well as being uncommon, the illness is known to be particularly aggressive. The Royal Marsden notes that many patients are given a prognosis of roughly a 60 percent chance of survival.
Jude was only 12 when he learned he had cancer, a moment that marked the beginning of an extremely difficult period.
Even so, he remained focused on reducing the hardship other people faced, while managing his own.
In an interview with 11 Alive, Jude, now 14, spoke about the chemotherapy he received for Ewing sarcoma, a cancer that develops in bones and the tissue around them.
“It wasn’t even [the fear of] knowing I could die,” he explained. “The chemo … it hurt.”
With his diagnosis and age, Jude qualified for a Make-A-Wish Foundation experience, a program that offers critically ill children under 18 the chance to have a life-changing wish granted.
Many children use that opportunity to travel, meet famous faces, or tick off a big personal dream. Jude had a different plan: he wanted his wish to benefit others.
“I got out of my version of heck, and I want to help others who are in a similar situation, their own version,” he said, explaining that he chose to support people experiencing homelessness in his area.
“I wanted to help them out because I was in a bad situation and they were too,” he added.
Through his efforts, Jude distributed sleeping bags, backpacks, and essential supplies, and helped provide hot meals to more than 300 people in the local community.
Now in remission, Jude hopes his story encourages others to give what they can, without waiting for a special program or moment.
He said, per 11 Alive: “It doesn’t have to come from a wish. You can help too.”
Following Jude’s act of generosity, local business owner Kevin Godfrey launched a GoFundMe for Jude and his family, with the aim of ensuring Jude also gets the chance to do something just for himself.
He wrote on the page: “We want to raise money to send Jude and his family on a trip they will never forget — a chance for them to step away from hospitals, treatments, and worry and simply enjoy time together making memories.
“Jude has already shown our community what true compassion and selflessness looks like. Now we want to show him just how much his kindness has meant to all of us.”
The fundraiser originally set a limit of $5,000, but after quickly exceeding that figure and climbing past $33,000, the target has since been increased to $50,000.
If you’ve been affected by any of these issues and want to speak to someone in confidence, contact the American Cancer Society on 1-800-227-2345 or via their live chat feature, available 24/7 every day of the year.