You see the commercials. The ones with the kids wearing the knit beanies, the ones that break your heart just enough to make you reach for your wallet. It’s a massive brand. A household name. So, you’d think they’d be everywhere, right?
Honestly, most people assume there’s a St. Jude in every major city, like a franchise or a chain of specialized clinics. But if you're looking for the main campus—the legendary research hub where the real magic happens—there is actually only one.
The Memphis Mothership
The heartbeat of the entire operation is located at 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. That’s it. That is the one and only St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
It’s a massive, sprawling campus in downtown Memphis. If a child is accepted for treatment at St. Jude, this is usually where they end up. It’s not just a hospital; it’s a tiny city dedicated to beating things like neuroblastoma and sickle cell disease. They have housing for families, schools for the kids, and labs where scientists are basically trying to rewrite the future of medicine.
💡 You might also like: Can I Drink Milk 1 Hour After Taking Levothyroxine: Why Timing Matters More Than You Think
Why only one? Because the model is incredibly expensive. We’re talking about a place that doesn't charge families a dime for treatment, travel, housing, or food. Scaling that to 50 locations would probably bankrupt even the most successful non-profit. Instead, they centralize the heavy lifting in Tennessee.
The Network of Affiliate Clinics
Okay, so if there is only one "real" hospital, why do you see St. Jude signs in other states?
This is where people get confused. St. Jude has a very specific "Affiliate Program." These aren't full-blown St. Jude hospitals, but they are specialized clinics embedded within other hospitals. They follow the exact same treatment protocols as the Memphis team.
Basically, it allows a kid in North Carolina to get their chemo closer to home without flying to Memphis every single week. As of early 2026, here is where you’ll find these crucial outposts:
- Baton Rouge, Louisiana: Located at Our Lady of the Lake Children’s Health.
- Charlotte, North Carolina: Tucked inside Novant Health Hemby Children’s Hospital.
- Huntsville, Alabama: Part of the Huntsville Hospital for Women & Children.
- Johnson City, Tennessee: Known as the Tri-Cities Affiliate at Niswonger Children’s Hospital.
- Peoria, Illinois: The Jim and Trudy Maloof Midwest Affiliate at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois.
- Shreveport, Louisiana: A partnership with Ochsner LSU Health.
- Springfield, Missouri: Located at Mercy Children’s Hospital.
- Tulsa, Oklahoma: The St. Jude Affiliate Clinic at Saint Francis Children’s Hospital.
These eight spots are the only official domestic affiliates. If you see a "St. Jude" sign somewhere else, it might be a fundraising office or a Catholic church named after the patron saint of lost causes (who the hospital is named after).
The Global Reach
Don't think they just stay in the U.S., though. St. Jude Global is a whole different beast. They have partnerships with hundreds of institutions worldwide.
In Beirut, Lebanon, there’s the Children’s Cancer Center of Lebanon (CCCL), which was actually the very first international affiliate. They also do massive work in Central and South America, the Middle East, and Asia. But again—these aren't "St. Jude Hospitals" in the sense that Danny Thomas founded them. They are partner hospitals that use St. Jude’s research and training to save kids in places where survival rates used to be abysmal.
How Do Kids Actually Get There?
You don't just walk into the Memphis campus. It’s a research hospital, which means they specialize in very specific, often rare, pediatric diseases.
To get in, a child usually needs to be referred by a doctor. They have to have a diagnosis that matches one of the clinical trials or research programs currently running. It’s a tough reality—they can’t take everyone. But when they do take a patient, they take the whole family.
The philosophy is simple: a parent should only worry about helping their child live. Not the mortgage. Not the grocery bill.
Actionable Next Steps
If you are trying to find where are the st jude's hospitals because you need help, or you want to support them, here is how to move forward:
- Check the Eligibility: If you’re a parent or physician looking for treatment, visit the official St. Jude Referrals page. They have a 24/7 physician line to discuss cases.
- Locate an Affiliate: If you live in one of the states mentioned above (like AL, IL, or MO), contact the specific affiliate clinic directly. They can often provide the same life-saving protocols as Memphis but with less travel.
- Verify Fundraising: Be careful with local "St. Jude" events. Always ensure the proceeds are going directly to ALSAC, which is the fundraising arm based in Memphis.
- Visit the Campus: If you find yourself in Memphis, you can actually tour the Danny Thomas/ALSAC Pavilion. It’s a surreal, humbling experience that shows you exactly where your donation money goes.
Knowing where these locations are matters because it clears up the myth that St. Jude is a local neighborhood clinic. It's a singular, world-class destination supported by a handful of regional experts.