Love For Luca

Upcoming Event: Relay For Life 2009

It's hard to believe that a year has gone by since last year's Relay For Life in Syracuse. We were incredibly moved when we saw the pictures last year, and they helped get us through a really tough spot. And this year, God willing, Luca is going to attend, and will walk the first survivor's lap.

It's this Friday, June12, starting at 7pm, at Solvay High School. Stop by if you're going to be around. More details here. Many thanks to everyone who's put so much time and effort into organizing Luca's team. We can't wait to see you all!

Speed Bump

Just a couple days after our return to Brooklyn from Syracuse, we learned that Luca had a serious infection in his implanted port. The incredible team at MSK quickly made room for Luca in their operating room schedule to remove the infected port and place a temporary line (which he managed to pull out a few days later!).

Because of the infection and the surgery, we spent a few nights on the floor. Being back on the in-patient side stirred up lots of potent memories. It did, however, give our close friends at Sloan the chance to see how much Luca has progressed since he left on Christmas Eve. Many people who last saw Luca during a grueling transplant were amazed to watch him pushing a shopping cart through the halls, laughing so loud that it brought people out of their rooms to see who was making all the noise. It also gave us the chance to reconnect with people who had become like our family for the year we spent on the floor. Luca is now home and back to his normal routine.

While at the hospital we met some families who are going through very difficult battles, so please keep all the kids on M9 in your prayers.

Luca's Baptism, Part 2

After more than a year since Luca started his baptism, he was finally able to travel to Syracuse for the first time and complete it. It was an emotional and powerful ceremony, with Luca meeting his amazing family for the first time. Many thanks to Father Terry, Father Thomas, and everyone who was there for making our homecoming such a memorable experience. We are truly blessed to have you in our lives.  

May 2009 (photos)

April 2009 (photos)

Brown Bear (video)

Fred's Team

Luca's amazing Auntie Sue has taken it upon herself to run in this year's New York City marathon in honor of Luca. She'll be running for Fred's Team, which was started by Fred Lebow, the organizer of the first New York marathon. In 1991 Fred was treated at Memorial Sloan-Kettering, and was inspired by the pediatric patients he met while jogging through the hospital halls. The next year he ran in the marathon, and encouraged his friends to sponsor his run to raise funds for MSK. Since then, volunteers running for Fred's team have raised more than $35 million for pediatric cancer care and research. 

MSK treats more children with cancer than any other institution in the world. They rely on generous donations to develop the groundbreaking therapies that have saved the lives of countless children around the world, including Luca's.

And so Sue needs your help! In order to run for Fred's Team in the marathon, she needs to raise enough money for the cause by this spring. So if you have even only a few dollars to spare, click here to sponsor Sue and help her in her mission. Don't worry, she'll be doing all the running!