Written by Harper McCabe

“Cancer is a darkness” and “all of you [Tri Deltas] are like mirrors, reflecting that light that St. Jude has created”. Eventually children will no longer die of cancer and all the darkness will turn into light. Chandler, a teenage St. Jude patient, shared that insight with a large conference room of Tri Deltas before our tour of the hospital. It was my first visit to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. My expectations of the organization and facility were especially high after hearing a panel discussion led by patients and their parents. Little did I know that my expectations were soon-to-be exceeded.

The moment I walked into the lobby of St. Jude, it became real. My first sight was that of a young boy, not older than 6 years old, with a large scar down the side of his bald head. Although his dark brown eyes looked so tired from his fight with cancer, he was still able to find the strength to smile at me through his pain. This sighting is what I consider to be my St. Jude moment. This was the moment working for St Jude became real. The work that we do and have been doing and would continue to do is for him and all the other children like him.

As we began our tour of the hospital, I immediately noticed the group of red wheelbarrows in the corner of the lobby. Patients use wheelbarrows instead of wheel chairs so the kids feel more like kids, not sick patients in a hospital. Every detail of this hospital is to promote a friendly, happy, and colorful environment. From the pictures painted on the hospital walls and floors to the brightly-colored cafeteria. The cafeteria walls are decorated with artwork that the children have created to signify their strength to battle cancer. Amazingly, in a facility as large as St. Jude, there is only one cafeteria. The reason: to allow patients, doctors, nurses, and other caregivers and employees to dine together and get to know each other outside the confinements of a patient's room.

Continuing our tour with other Tri Delta’s from South Carolina, we posed for photographs in the Tri Delta hallway alongside the Delta floor paintings followed by a tour of Tri Delta Place. All of Tri Delta’s colors and symbols were prominently displayed inside Tri Delta Place. There were blue wall, pearl backsplashes, and triangle decor. Every little detail had been taken into account.

The entire St. Jude campus was world-class. This unbelievable research institution was built so thoughtfully primarily through donations! Honestly, the entire time I was on the St. Jude campus I was blown away. Blown away by the amount of selfless people who built such a beautiful center and well as those who create and maintain such a warm, friendly environment for all children regardless of their ability of pay. I then realized that we, Tri Delta, are included in those selfless people. Our sorority works tirelessly all year, every year to raise money for St Jude Children's Research Hospital and for the pediatric patients for whom it was built. To see the Hospital and the precious children made everything real for me.

I can't wait to return to Clemson with my renewed energy to pursue our philanthropic efforts for this life-changing facility. I have never been so inspired to continue our legacy to help eradicate the darkness of cancer. I have never been so proud to be a Tri Delta.