Almost a year ago, my son Luke walked out of his kindergarten class limping. Although I thought it may be growing pains and didn’t want to overly worry as we were leaving on a ski trip two days later, I brought him to Texas Children’s Hospital where he had blood work done as well as an x-ray on his legs. Within the next 24 hours our world was turned upside down when we learned Luke was diagnosed with acute lymphocytic leukemia or ALL.
He immediately began treatment at Texas Children’s Cancer Center and our family quickly learned that although it is a hospital, Texas Children’s is a fun, vibrant place that cares for little fighters just like Luke. We spent a week in the hospital with Luke while he underwent treatment. Thankfully, he was able to go home on Christmas Eve to celebrate the holiday with me, my husband, his older brother and younger sister. Luke recently completed a tough round of treatment and we have a few more weeks to go until he will hit the two year maintenance phase of his treatment.
My son is an incredibly strong little boy and I get my strength from his daily fight on this journey. I know we will get through this as a family with the help of the fabulous physicians and caring nurses at Texas Children’s. As we celebrate the holiday season with our loved ones, we are so grateful for the care Luke is receiving.
Recently, he was thrilled to be chosen by Aflac to serve as an ambassador for their holiday-themed plush duck. The loveable stuffed animal, sporting boots and skates, is available at local Macy’s stores or online. All proceeds from the sales made in the Houston area will support pediatric care and research at Texas Children’s Cancer Center.
Learn more about Texas Children's Cancer Center by watching this video.