In April 2013, a little over a month
after his third birthday, Luke was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic
Leukemia. "Luke started with a low-grade fever on Thursday, April 18,
2013," his Mom says. "The fever, along with general lethargy and lack
of appetite, continued through the weekend. By Sunday the fever was up
to 102, and we decided to call his pediatrician first thing in the
morning. We were able to get an appointment at 9:30 am on Monday, and
by 11:30 am, our world was turned upside down when we heard the word
'leukemia.'"
Since his diagnosis, Luke has been undergoing
chemotherapy and other treatments, and he has had his ups and downs.
When Luke is feeling well, he loves to play with his 5-year-old brother
Raymond, do puzzles, play Uno, read books, and play with his stuffed
dog. But more than anything else, Luke loves to play with TRAINS! He
loves anything to do with trains and is a big fan of Thomas the Tank
Engine and friends.
Luke's Gold Hope Session was scheduled between
treatments when he was most likely to have more energy and spaced out
over two days. The first day he got to ride on a small train at
Marathon Junction with his brother and his Mom and Dad at a local park;
enjoy a private tour of a train car and an historic replica of the
original Wausau Depot with his family and enjoy some imaginative play
there; play with Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends on a train table
in the studio; ride a toy Thomas; and snuggle in for some story time
with his Mom and Dad and brother Raymond at the end of the day on day
one. During quiet time, he and his Mom also looked at his Bravery Beads
and talked about how he earned each one.
The second day Luke
took a road trip to Door County with his Mom and brother Raymond where
they met Grandma and Grandpa Stolarczyk at Luke's favorite restaurant
... PC Junction ... a place where he could sit at the counter and watch
his food come around to him delivered on a model train! It sometimes
blew bubbles, too! Afterward, he and Raymond got to play on the wooden
train outside, play in an old school bus, play with giant chess pieces
on an outdoor chess board, play on the swings, try out a pedal vehicle,
climb on a vintage truck turned into a playland and slide, and then go
to his grandparents to spend the night.
In addition to Acute
Lymphoblastic Leukemia, Luke also has a degenerative eye disease that
will one day render him blind. Despite all the challenges this
three-year-old has had to face, Luke is a fighter with a loving spirit
and a big smile who brings joy to all who watch him! His family is
hopeful that with ongoing treatment for his leukemia and the continued
prayers of family, friends, and community, Luke will BEAT this CANCER!
Luke's Support Page - http://
Hope Session by - Photography by Tina
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