St. Jude unveils completed 2024 Dream Home in LaGrange, raffle tickets on sale July 11

LA GRANGE Ky. (WDRB) -- Raffle tickets for the 2024 St. Jude Dream Home giveaway go on sale this Thursday, but WDRB has a preview of the home and a compelling story of a 5-year-old boy the hospital treated for a brain tumor.

The 4-bedroom, 2,900 sq. ft. home, built by Fischer Homes, is valued at approximately $485,000, and is located at 2124 Quail Ridge Drive in LaGrange.

Other amenities include:

Foster Pacific Craftsman
Gourmet kitchen that opens to family room with fireplace
Private owner’s suite with luxury shower
Walk-in closets in all 4 bedrooms
Spacious upstairs loft
First-floor study

Volunteers, patients and sponsors, including representatives from Fischer Homes, gathered at the site of the Dream Home Tuesday for a floor signing ceremony, with each person leaving a message of inspiration for St. Jude patients.

Ventara Massey, a development specialist with St. Jude , said Tuesday was extra special because it was the first time since the pandemic that the hospital was able to include current and former patients.

"What does make today special is we haven't been able to have patient families at our event since before the pandemic -- just to keep them safe," Massey said. "So we're so excited to have some families join us today and be able to celebrate as we dedicate this house to the kids."

Knox, one of the many children St. Jude has helped over the years, was at Tuesday's ceremony with his family. The 5-year-old has been cancer free for nearly three years since being treated for a brain tumor at the hospital.

Knox Shepherd, a former patient at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital — Pictured: 5-year-old Knox Shepherd talks about his experience at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital with WDRB reporters on July 9, 2024. (WDRB image)

Knox told WDRB he is excited to be starting kindergarten this year. His mother, Ashley Shepherd, said it was a long journey to get to this point.

"When he was going through chemo, he almost had to have a feeding tube. We were really lucky he didn't, and we were like, 'you can have Sprite, cookies, anything.' We're real lucky. We really are."

She said they found out their son had cancer in November 2021 when Knox was 3 years old. That's when she said "he started showing symptoms of not feeling the best in the morning," Ashley said. "And he started to be sick in the morning and vomit. So we went on a few weeks like that."

When they took Knox to the hospital, a CAT scan revealed he had a brain tumor. "So he has brain cancer anaplastic astrocytoma grade 3." It's a rare condition that only affects about 200 people in the U.S. every year.

Knox's father, Erikk Shepherd, said the tumor was resected by surgeons in Louisville, but family members reached out to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for more guidance.

"We had the option to kind of do treatment here in Louisville or do it at St. Jude. Luckily enough, our family had the presence of mind to contact St. Jude while we were still in the whirlwind of finding out our son had a brain tumor.

"But St. Jude offered the proton radiation, and in the short time we had been looking into everything it seemed to have lower side effects and better results -- which wasn't offered here in Louisville," Erikk said.

Erikk said they were at a Costco shopping when they found out Knox had been accepted as a patient. The family then had to pack up and basically move while Knox was being treated.

Ashley said support from the community and their employers made all the difference during the ordeal.

"It was a difficult decision to move six hours away from home," Ashley said, "especially knowing what we were up against. Knox had to receive 30 rounds of radiation, and we were scheduled to receive four rounds of chemotherapy. So it was a big deal."

Financial Support and More

Ashley said they were very anxious as they drove into Memphis, Tenn., but seeing the St. Jude Hospital building started to calm them down.

"I mean we weren't even there an hour and we looked each other and said 'we're in the right spot.' We knew that we had chosen correctly. They are not only about the child, but St. Jude is also about the whole family. They made sure we were taken care of."

Ashley said the staff made sure Knox's younger brother, who was six months old at the time, had a crib and toys to play with.

"It was December 10, and it was Christmas time, and we were about to celebrate little brother's first Christmas away from home -- Knox's third Christmas. And St. Jude just -- they made it magical. Every employee cares about the children, cares about the family."

Ashley said St. Jude provided the family with gas money to get there and housing and a meal allowance, including grocery delivery, during the treatments. When other family members came into town, the staff at St. Jude made sure to provide tickets to area attractions like the zoo and the museum.

"Had we not had the support of St. Jude, I don't know what we would have done," she said.

That's why the money St. Jude Children's Research Hospital raises with the raffle tickets is so important.

A total of 7,500 tickets sold out last year, but this year 8,000 tickets are available for $100 each. And 100 percent of the proceeds go directly to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. The money helps support patients and their families, so don't have to worry about paying for treatment, travel, housing or food.

Bonus Prizes Available

The earlier you buy your raffle ticket, the more chances you'll have to win bonus prizes:

Get your ticket by July 12 to be eligible to win a $2,500 closet makeover from Closet Factor Kentucky.
Buy a ticket by Aug. 9 to be eligible to win a home entertainment prize package including a big-screen TV surround system and pizza for a year from Domino's.
Buy your ticket by Sept. 6 for a chance to win a $2,500 Artique Rugs & Furniture shopping spree.

Longstanding Partnerships

Fischer Homes has partnered with St. Jude for 19 years to bring together contractors, building professionals and volunteers to construct the home. This is the fifth year that WDRB has partnered with St. Jude for the giveaway that has raised $3.4 million so far.

Click here for more details about the St. Jude home and to purchase tickets online. Note: the giveaway is open to residents of Kentucky and Indiana, but Indiana residents cannot purchase tickets online. If you live in Indiana, call (800) 830-8193 for tickets, or download a printable mail-in form.

The winner of the St. Jude Dream Home Giveaway will be chosen live on the air on WDRB Mornings on Oct. 3.

CLICK HERE to watch last year's winner visit her new home for the first time.

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