30 things that thrill me - Day 7

Hearing, "Cancer free!"

My buddy, Luke F.

My friend Sean has a five-year-old son named Luke. Luke is cancer free, but that was not always the case. Two Decembers ago Monica, Luke's mom, was giving then three-year-old Luke a bath when she noticed a small lump on his hip. She made a Thursday morning appointment with their pediatrician to have it checked out. By Saturday Luke was an inpatient at the University of Michigan receiving his first round of chemotherapy.

His cancer was something called, rhabdomyosarcoma, a nasty cancer that seems to attack mostly little boys. Christmas was spent trying to explain to their son why he had to be in the hospital and trying to put on a brave face for their family and friends who had to bring Luke's presents to a pediatric cancer ward. n short, it was a nightmare. Monica was finishing up her doctoral dissertation at the time. She and Sean had another little boy at home to care for. Time and again they made the trek from East Lansing to Ann Arbor for Luke's treatment.

Sean remembers, "I learned to pray really strange prayers. I learned to pray about white-cell counts and shrinking tumors. Since Luke's immune system was weakened, we stayed home a lot so he wouldn't get sick. A common cold, for him, could be deadly."

Three months ago, Sean, Monica and Luke celebrated Christmas 2010 cancer free. While Luke has to go to Ann Arbor from time to time to monitor his progress, doctors are optimistic that Luke is cured.


Luke is the reason I am shaving my head in two weeks. St. Baldrick's is a charitable organization that is dedicated to raising money for pediatric cancer research. The are determined to give researchers the funding and tools that they need to insure that all of the Lukes in this world can win their battle against cancer.


Would you help me help St. B's help kids like Luke by going to my St. Baldrick's page and pledging $10 or $20 to help in this fight? Please, help me help other kids hear the two most amazing words of their young life: "Cancer free!" Thanks.