St. Jude provides outstanding treatment and educational resources to help patients with sickle cell and other blood disorders live long, happy, and healthy lives. From exceptional patient care to innovative research, St. Jude is one of the nation’s leading centers for sickle cell disease. St. Jude is the primary treatment center for children with sickle cell disease in the Memphis area. They also consider referrals of children who are eligible for an open clinical trial. St. Jude has been researching sickle cell disease since the hospital opened in 1962. Their milestones are many, and include: -The first research grant ever received by the hospital was for the study of sickle cell disease. -In 1983, a St. Jude patient was the first in the world to be cured of sickle cell anemia through a stem cell/bone marrow transplant.