Video: Mom on a Mission to Help St. Jude

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DORSEY, Miss. (WCBI) -This weekend, more than twenty thousand people will head to Memphis for the annual run benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Northeast Mississippi is always well represented on race day, and as WCBI’s Allie Martin reports, one of the runners has an even deeper appreciation for the world renowned hospital.

Like most seven year old boys, Brodey Houpt would rather be hunting, or fishing, instead of waiting for his little sister to finish gymnastics class.

But Brodey is glad he doesn’t have to wear a medical mask when he heads outside. The first grader was diagnosed with medullablastoma in February. When he started getting sick and having frequent headaches, his family never thought it could be a brain tumor.

“I thought I would take him to the ER, have a CT done and it would be a severe sinus infection.”

Instead, Brodey was taken to LeBonheur Children’s Hospital, where he underwent surgery. Throughout the rest of the year, he’s undergone chemo and radiation treatments at St Jude.

Like most people, Brodey’s mother, Lee Ann, was familiar with St Jude. She even ran a half marathon a few years ago. But after Brodey’s diagnosis and treatment, the hospital’s mission took on a whole new meaning. This weekend, she will run, for her son.

“You can see the reason behind running it, it won’t be, oh, I’m just out here getting exercise.”

Lee Ann registered as a St. Jude Hero, which means she is raising money for the hospital. Since the spring, “Team Brodey” has organized several fundraising events.

“As a family member, we never see a medical bill and the expense, that, the kids go through, it’s just amazing.”

Through the past ten months, Brodey has kept up with his classmates at Dorsey Attendance Center, with a lot of help from St. Jude. And he has made new friends, who are on similar journeys.

Lee Ann says the experience has tested and strengthened her Christian faith.

“You definitely have to go to God and leave it with God. Put your faith in the Lord and leave it to Him. You can’t try to understand why it happened, why it was you, why your child, you have to pray about it and leave it to God. ”

Brodey and his family will cheer his mom on during the race, and he may even run the 5 k, next year. In Tupelo I’m Allie Martin WCBI News >

Brodey’s last chemo treatment takes place next week.