OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute delivers comprehensive, high-quality cancer and hematology care grounded in specialized expertise and compassionate support. Our affiliations and collaborations extend that care by connecting families to additional resources, advocacy and community-based support that complement the care children receive here.
As of June 30, 2026, OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois and University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria will transition from the St. Jude affiliate network to operate independently as the OSF HealthCare Children's Hospital of Illinois Cancer and Blood Disorders Institute in collaboration with University of Illinois College of Medicine faculty will operate independently and continue providing specialized treatment in Peoria, reflecting its lasting commitment to advancing care for children with cancer and blood disorders.
Moving forward, St. Jude, OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois and University of Illinois College of Medicine Peoria faculty may collaborate on specific clinical research studies to advance cures.
Camp Hope is available to kids ages 6-16 with a previous or current diagnosis of cancer or a blood disorder. The camp provides help, hope and a special kind of healing for seriously ill children and their siblings – free of charge. Camp Hope provides local cancer/blood disorder patients and their siblings with the opportunity to experience the joys of childhood and the feeling of just being a kid. At Camp Hope, sickness takes a backseat to creating lifelong friends and memories.
The camp, held in the summer at East Bay Camp in Hudson, Illinois, is a five-day overnight camp in a medically safe environment staffed by hematology/oncology providers. The very same staff that know the kids and provide their treatment care for them throughout the week of camp.
Children’s Oncology Group (COG), is the world’s largest organization devoted exclusively to childhood and adolescent cancer research. OSF Children's Hospital of Illinois is a COG institution, allowing us to collaborate on research to cure childhood cancers.
Family House is a nonprofit hospitality program that offers a home away from home for families whose children are receiving serious medical treatment. With affordable, supportive lodging and shared spaces for rest and connection, Family House helps ease the emotional and financial burdens that can come with long hospital stays. Families staying there can focus on their child’s care and recovery while staying close to their medical team, surrounded by a community that understands the challenges they face.
The Heller Center for Kids with Cancer provides critical, non-treatment support programs and services for patients with cancer and their families. It helps them not only live life beyond and illness or injury – but thrive as well.
We are proud to be designated by the National Alliance of Sickle Cell Centers as a whole life treatment center. This means our hospital provides specialized care for patients with sickle cell disease throughout their lives – from childhood into adulthood. Our center offers a comprehensive approach that includes combination of resources including essential personnel, essential protocols and treatments, essential diagnostic and treatment requirements, optimal elements and required links and partnerships. This ensures that patients receive consistent, coordinated care tailored to their unique needs at every stage of their journey.
OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois is proud to partner with the Roc Solid Foundation to provide Ready Bags – care packages specially designed to support children and families going through cancer treatment. These bags are filled with comforting and practical items to help ease the stress of diagnosis and hospital visits.
The Ready Bag includes essentials like toiletries, activity kits, snacks, and small gifts chosen to bring comfort and distraction during a challenging time. By providing these bags, the Roc Solid Foundation helps our patients feel cared for and supported from their very first day of treatment.
This thoughtful collaboration strengthens our commitment to addressing both the medical and emotional needs of families facing childhood cancer.
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois provides a home‑like space where families can stay together while their child receives medical care. With a house in Peoria, this organization helps remove barriers during stressful treatment experiences by offering comfortable accommodations, shared meals and supportive community spaces just steps away from the hospital. Being close to care allows families to focus on their child’s well‑being and healing without the added worry of long commutes or lodging costs.
The Tessa Sutton Foundation is a Peoria area nonprofit created in honor of Tessa Sutton, a Central Illinois teen who faced a rare form of sarcoma. The foundation works to support families navigating the challenges of cancer and catastrophic illness by offering direct assistance and community programs. One of their signature initiatives is the Sunshine Cart, which brings comfort items like toys, books and practical supplies to patients and families during hospital stays at OSF HealthCare Children’s Hospital of Illinois. Through community engagement and fundraising events, the foundation helps ensure that no family feels alone during the most difficult times.
We are proud to maintain a strong partnership with the University of Illinois College of Medicine – Peoria (UICOMP) Department of Pediatrics. This collaboration brings together our expert teams and UICOMP’s highly trained pediatric specialists to provide comprehensive care for children with cancer and blood disorders, ensuring the best outcomes for our patients.