Young Cancer Survivor Lives His Best Life and Cooks Up Support for St. Jude

If you want to be inspired by a living example of a fighter, look no further than a young man who conquered cancer three times. The battle against the disease began early in life for Javon at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

“As a child, I grew up at St. Jude. I was used to being around children who were being treated for cancer. I just thought I was a normal kid. They became my village,” says Javon, a college honors graduate, marching band musician and home cook.

A Village Life at St. Jude

Life changed dramatically for two-year-old Javon when doctors told his mom he had cancer. The toddler moved from Mississippi to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis.

The staff and other patients and their families became his village. Radio, film and TV star Danny Thomas opened the hospital in 1962. Some 8,600 children from the U.S. and other countries go to St. Jude each year for treatment and participation in research programs.

Javon endured years of chemotherapy, radiation and other treatments for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). After periods of remission , his cancer returned when he was four and again in 2010 at age nine. His father became the bone marrow donor for the stem cell transplant that finally left his son cancer-free.

“During the process, there were ups and downs. But the real fight was the aftermath – seeing how my body was going to heal, seeing how my body was going to react, seeing how my hair was going to come back, seeing how my appearance was going to change,” recalls the cancer survivor.

Ironically, St. Jude also treated his mom, Lisa, for cancer when she was a child. Her comments about the chairs where loved ones spent long hours in patients’ rooms prompted hospital officials to provide more comfortable seating for visitors.

Javon shares another way doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals offer comfort and support. “They were like family. When my birthday came around, they pretended like they didn’t remember. But at the end of my treatment and appointments, they used to bring out a birthday cake. The nurses and doctors would pitch in and bring me a Power Ranger or something that caught my attention.”

Extended stays in St. Jude housing allowed Javon to bond with other patients and their families. He remembers learning about the cuisines and music of other cultures. “There were different people from all over the world. That’s how I got some of my recipes. It’s how I learned how to combine my Mississippi culture with Louisiana culture and try to create something,” he adds.

The St. Jude village’s melting pot gave Javon a best buddy who expanded his knowledge of different foods. He and Devan were inseparable, and their mothers became friends when they shared time at Target House and Ronald McDonald House.

“If you saw him, you saw me. And if you saw me, you saw him. That’s how our bond was. We were brothers. If he was an in-patient, I would go visit him. If I was an in-patient, he would come visit me.  If we both got sick, we’d be in the same hallway,” Javon recollects.

One of his treasured memories of village life at St. Jude is meeting celebrities. One person in particular stands out. Javon remembers the day the Secret Service showed up, and he got to meet America’s Black First Lady.

“We burst out in huge smiles. Michelle Obama came up to us and hugged us. She was like the Beyonce of politics at the time. You had to be there to experience the comfort and the warmth. That was my favorite moment. It’s an experience I will never forget.”

Making the Most of Life St. Jude Saved

Another memorable experience came when Javon met his favorite food critic, Kalen Allen. By then, the former cancer patient was making the most of the life St. Jude saved. He was at the top of his class at the University of Memphis.

He graduated magna cum laude with a marketing degree. The National Honor Society member describes his encounter with Allen. “I think it was Kalen Allen who made me cry because I had just graduated from college and met him at a speaking engagement. He said, ‘I’m so proud of you. Keep going.’”

The Memphis resident continued developing his passion for cooking during his college years. Javon jokes about how he and his friends got creative, cooking on a tight budget with make-do appliances. “I don’t know how we made it work, but we used to make some good meals with a microwave and air fryer. We almost died, but we ate good.”

The young cook’s culinary skills put him in demand for parties thrown by his historically Black fraternity, Iota Phi Theta. Everybody loved his mac and cheese, one of the recipes Javon shared in a video from the St. Jude Inspire Storied Lives series.

“I’m still amazed and blessed by the cooking series. If you met me in person, you would be, ‘OMG. This baby is so joyful and has so much energy, even though he went through all the stuff he went through.”

As a young person who loves history, Javon appreciates the impact and legacy of music masters such as Doug E. Fresh. The hip-hop icon known worldwide as the Original Human Beatbox has captivated generations of music lovers with his signature rhymes and dance moves. Fresh’s “ La Di Da Di” is among the all-time top five songs sampled by other artists.

“I was always a fan of his music, and he wrote one of my favorite books, which is “Think Again,” says Javon. “When I was with my uncles and cousins, we would listen to his music. My favorite song by Doug E. Fresh and his crew is “Oh My God.” I used to listen to that every other Saturday with Gospel music when it was time to clean up the house.”

The dedicated St. Jude supporter came face-to-face with the famous beatboxer when they participated in January 2024 Celebration of Hope. The annual event brings together entertainers, congregations and members of Black fraternities and sororities known as the Divine Nine.

The gathering honors St. Jude’s work and helps raise the funds that make it possible for the hospital to treat children without ever sending families a bill.

Javon fondly remembers the Celebration of Hope encounter with Fresh. “When I first met him, we acted like we were family as if we had known each other for years. We talked about how soul food came to be and talked about a lot of Black history. This will be an exciting experience that I will always cherish.”

Life One Day at a Time

Today, Javon does all he can to help the American Lebanese Syrian Associated Charities (ALSAC) raise funds for St. Jude. The marketing planner employs his fighting spirit and empathy for others to promote the research and programs that save the lives of children battling cancer and other critical illnesses. The hospital not only saved him and his mom but his little sister Jakayla. She was diagnosed with cancer in 2008.

“I was her supporter, coach and cheerleader. I know how it is going through chemo. She graduated from kindergarten at St. Jude. She relapsed in 2012, and that is when she got her transplant,” shares Javon.

Their dad again became the bone marrow donor for the life-saving procedure.  Jakayla turned 18 this year and graduated from high school.

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The prayer, faith and support that helped Javon and his family get through those difficult times were also their anchor when he lost his best friend Devan to cancer. It is one reason he advises anyone with a life-threatening illness to live one day at a time.

“You are going to have your good and bad days. Hold onto your blankey or whatever makes you feel safe,” says Javon. “You have to have a support team. But keep your head up. Look at the positives and be your own hero.”

The three-time cancer conqueror advises everyone to live each day to the fullest, doing what they love. Javon continues doing that through his good works for St. Jude, his music and cooking experiments.

“I made a cheeseburger egg roll with homemade Big Mac sauce from McDonald’s. It was really good.” He laughingly offers one more tip. “You have to experiment with food, but don’t experiment with family reunions. Don’t do that.”

Click the videos below to watch Javon share his story and cook some of his favorite dishes:

Catfish with Dirty Rice

Mac and Cheese

Tater Tot Casserole

Go online to get the latest news and updates from St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, including how you can support their mission to treat each child with cancer at no expense to their families. Follow on social media @stjude and @stjuderesearch .

This story originally appeared in Cuisine Noir Magazine