LOVE FOR LUCAS

First  - Lucas is doing GREAT!  I don’t often share that - for some crazy superstition that it would change - but it is the truth.  It was 4 years since his transplant on March 14th.  He has had all of his required immunizations and is on NO medications.  It is LITERALLY a miracle and one that would have not been possible without the Reddit community.  I wholeheartedly believe that - because we were able to completely focus on Lucas - our attention to detail and his outcomes were possible. There is not a single day that I am not thankful!  Lucas is finishing first grade - headed into second.  He had perfect report cards all year!  

That said, I am writing with a purpose.  When Lucas was first diagnosed - I had never met anyone who had a child with no immune system.  It was really scary.  During a time that I felt very alone, I met a woman named Michelle Goodman.  I am an educator and so is Michelle and we met at a school that I was supporting.  Michelle learned about Lucas and she also had a daughter with a Primary Immune Deficiency Disorder.  Michelle helped me SO much in the 3 years before Lucas’ transplant.  She taught me about SUB Q IVIG - which changed our life during those 3 years dramatically.  Her daughter Savannah has SCID - and a really rare form.  Back when Lucas was getting his transplant, Savannah was not a candidate.  Savannah is a now a sophomore is college and it is finally time.  She has no choice, but to have this transplant - and she has a matched donor.  Her family found out about 3 weeks ago - and they want to transplant Savannah in August.  They need help!  Both of her parents are teachers and they are facing the same challenges we did.  They have to leave their jobs, take the other 2 daughters to support Savannah for 6 months through this process.  

Here are some amazing facts about Savannah:

- Savannah has a really rare form of SCID - and to our knowledge is the oldest living person with SCID who has not had a transplant

- Savannah was the valedictorian of her high school class at Douglas Anderson School of the Arts a top rated high school in Florida

-Savannah’s dream is to become a Pediatric Immunologist to help kids like her - she was accepted into DUKE as a Biology major and has been there for 2 years.

Savannah is an INCREDIBLE and beautiful girl, who is a Duke student and now will be a Duke patient with the same doctor and transplant team as Lucas.

Here is the link to her GoFundMe page:  https://www.gofundme.com/2dg7qy3g

So, come’on Reddit - save another life - Lucas wants to help his friend!!!

This is my last post.  We are closing this chapter.  Lucas is well, and he is ready to move on.  We are thankful to have begun to feel like a “normal family” with a “normal kid.”  We are eternally grateful to so, so, so many people for whom helped Lucas get well.  We intend to leave this blog here as a story of hope, good will, and courage for other families who may face a similar situation and set of decisions. Reddit will always be with us (see the Reddit tattoo post). 

Lucas is headed to Kindergarten in just a few short months.  He is a boy with many dreams, and the good fortune to have a new, functioning immune system.

Grow cells grow.

The Gonzalez Family <3