Though her arrival was delayed nearly two hours, First Lady Michelle Obama had a chance to interact with St. Jude Research Hospital patients while participating in a hands-on therapy activity.
Obama, whose flight was delayed due to mechanical issues, moved across three tables where children suffering from cancer and other life-threatening diseases were seated. The first lady asked personal questions about their life ranging from what their favorite food was to what sports they were interested in.
Obama then answered questions from at least a dozen patients that gave a glimpse of what it was like to play the role of the president’s wife.
“Being a First Lady is about being able to do stuff like this and hanging out with you guys,” she said when asked what her favorite part of living in the White House was.
The goal of the therapy activity was to help patients express their thoughts and feelings about their diseases. Children creatively decorated foam letters that spelled out CURES while discussing how they can contribute to their own health.
St. Jude parents never receive a medical bill while their child is undergoing treatment. Since opening, the childhood cancer survival rate has gone up to 80 percent. Doctors often send their patients to St. Jude because of the high survival rate.
“I think it’s really good to be able to highlight the great work that’s going on here,” Obama said.
The first lady started out as a lawyer but decided to change her career path and focus on doing things that affected the community. She now enjoys traveling to other organizations such as St. Jude to meet children and share her love of helping others.
“You guys are smart, focused and courageous,” she said to the patients. “I love to talk to you guys.”
St. Jude houses more than 67,000 patients from all over the world each year. The hospital is working to raise the survival rate to 90 percent in the next decade. The late Danny Thomas, founder, believed “No child should die in the dawn of life.”
Obama is the fourth first lady to visit the hospital. Past visitors include Nancy Reagan, Barbara Bush and Hillary Clinton.
Obama said she was invited to St. Jude by Marlo Thomas, founder Danny Thomas’s son.
“Wherever I go, cameras follow. I like to go places when the cameras are on when good stuff is happening,” she said.
