Welcome to our CaringBridge site. It has been created to keep friends and family updated about our loved one.
Luke's story is the introduction to our CaringBridge site.
Be sure to read the latest in the journal, view the photo gallery, and drop us a line in the guestbook.
Luke is turning 24 years old and loving life and his World Champion Chicago Cubs.
He has been a cancer fighter and a survivor for most of his life. Twenty years ago his journey with cancer began. We are blessed that currently he is doing well and attending college while working at STATS, Inc. In 2016 his original hospital, Childrens Memorial came down by the wrecking ball. Our family is grateful that we had the best treatments here in Chicago for Luke. He now continues his journey in life and his future looks bright.
Luke was originally diagnosed with NEUROBLASTOMA stage IV in June of 1999. His treatment at Children's Memorial Hospital (CMH) in Chicago was a success story with complete recovery until we found out nine years later that his potent chemotherapy had caused another type of cancer.
Luke was diagnosed with AML on Friday, May 30, 2008. Although he has looked and felt great, we had followed up on some abnormal blood counts that appeared at a routine doctor's visit. His white blood cells and platelets were 'low' and eventually red blood cells were in the 'low' range. We had hoped this was due to a side effect of medication, but the reality became apparent. His bone marrow showed 35% blast cells. Luke has developed Acute Myeloid Leukemia as a long term effect of his Neuroblastoma treatment. He remained in remission for four years.
Luke was diagnosed with relapsed AML in June of 2012. Once again a routine blood test showed a drop in blood counts. As the beautiful new Lurie Childrens Hospital was opening its doors, our family found that once again Luke would be fighting the toughest battle of his life. He was saved by the brilliant doctors who have cared for him since 1999. And he was saved by a donation of matched bone marrow 500 miles away in Pennsylvania. This was a scary and trying battle but Luke went into remission and his body continues to recover even into 2016.
Luke has dealt well with some of the more obvious long term effects of his aggressive treatment. He wears hearing aids due to his moderate hearing loss in both ears. He is also " small, but mighty" in stature. His personality makes up for it all and he has no less than 1000 people he considers friends. From Holy Cross School & Church, Deerfield Baseball, Deerfield High School, Camp One Step, & Children's Memorial ..........to his friends & family far away, we thank you all for being there for him in your many different ways.
We have been happy to reach all of you through Caring Bridge and keep you up to date. Please check out his journal to keep up with his progress!
CaringBridge is a nonprofit social network dedicated to helping family and friends communicate with and support loved ones during a health journey. Learn more about CaringBridge.
