Childhood Cancer Warrior Spotlight: Luke

As told by his mother

This is our precious son, Luke! Three weeks after this sixth birthday, Luke complained of stomach pain that felt like sharp pain or something poking him. We had just returned home from a fall break trip and potty usage is different when you travel. so we assumed his body was trying to get back in a routine and we encouraged him to go potty when he needed to. When he went back to school the following week, his teacher texted me that he looked like he didn’t feel well, so I picked him up and took him to the doctor. She did her wellness check and noticed he had swollen lymph nodes, swelling on his spleen, and sensitivity when she pushed on his belly. For her peace of mind, she sent us to Texas Children’s ER to get bloodwork and a scan of his belly. We thank God daily for her discernment and wisdom in sending us there!

We found out Luke had B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Hearing that news could best be described as the whole world freezing for a moment in time. Everything that the ER doctor was telling us after that news, felt like slow motion. Fear, shock, anxiety, denial, and sadness overwhelmed us, and we both couldn’t help but ask God, “Why my child? Why couldn’t it have been me instead?”. God never intended this kind of pain or suffering when He created the world, and we know that He is sad too. Jesus himself wept in the Bible, and we know that He weeps every time a child is given a cancer diagnosis. But our hope is in God and He has the power and ability to heal. We trust that God will heal Luke in His timing, and we are surrendering to that timeline and His plans. We are incredibly grateful for his team of doctors at Texas Children’s. They have made our son feel comfortable and safe. Luke will receive treatments for two and a half years. Lord-willing, he will ring the bell in spring of 2027.

Luke has a big heart for his family, especially his little brother, Jack. He’s empathetic to others, way too observant, and has been known to ask questions wise beyond his years. Luke loves the outdoors. We enjoy doing nature walks as a family, fishing, and hunting. Luke man loves baseball and the Houston Astros! He’s played baseball for 4 seasons and enjoys playing first base and hitting some third base dingers! Our family plays kickball together in the backyard and we enjoy doing that on days when Luke feels up for it. Luke is our little bookworm and has been known to be up way past his bedtime reading books in bed. He is a barbecue foodie and loves trying out the best brisket from places all over town. Luke loves building Legos and playing board games. He is a joy and we are blessed to be his parents! Our prayers for Luke, as he walks this journey with B-cell ALL, is that Luke will witness and share the awesome and mighty power of God’s healing and that He will notice the faithfulness of Him and share that with others.