Luis Fonsi Meets 17-Year-Old Cancer Survivor While at St. Jude’s Research Hospital

During a recent trip to St. Jude's Research Hospital, Puerto Rican singer Luis Fonsi was inspired by his visit with a 17-year-old who battled lymphoma and defeated the disease. The pop star met a girl named Susie, who moved from Mexico to Memphis for lymphoma treatment at St. Jude's. She just had her final chemotherapy session and can now call herself a cancer survivor.

"Every time I've been able to visit the hospital to talk to parents and talk to patients, you breathe so much hope," Fonsi said in an interview with Susie at the hospital. "Cancer is tough. Even saying it, it's a tough word to say. But you really feel very positive. That's the vibe you get (at the hospital)."

Susie said, "When I got here, I was very sad because I thought I was going to die, but the people working at St. Jude, they’ve taught me cancer does not mean you’re going to die. And that I could go on and make it possible to heal."

Fonsi has worked with St. Jude's for nearly a decade. “I completely fell in love not only with the actual hospital, but with the people and their mission, their message and their courage,” he said. "It's been a wonderful journey getting to talk about St. Jude's, getting to meet patients like Susie, and getting to know their story." Fonsi is one of nine Latinos taking part in the St. Jude Thanks and Giving holiday campaign.

The Latin Grammy-winning singer has been releasing music professionally since 1998 and has topped the Billboard Latin Songs chart six times.