At 7 years old, Luke Futch has a lot to keep him busy. He’s in kindergarten, learning to read, taking tennis lessons and spending time with friends. He loves drawing, Minecraft, Pokémon cards and learning about animals and reptiles.
It’s a welcome return to childhood after spending more than two years undergoing treatment for leukemia at BayCare’s St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital in Tampa.
Luke was 4 when he became sick with a persistent fever, fatigue and bruising. After blood tests showed abnormal results, his pediatrician sent him to St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, where further testing confirmed he had B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia, or B-ALL.
“The diagnosis was devastating, but we immediately jumped into action,” said Luke’s mother, Elizabeth Futch. “We promised Luke we would never give up on him. From the moment we arrived at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, we felt surrounded by an incredibly capable team, and we leaned on our faith, our family and the people caring for Luke.”
His treatment included chemotherapy, immunotherapy and numerous outpatient visits and hospital stays. On Oct. 29, after 2½ years of treatment, Luke reached a milestone he and his family had long awaited. Surrounded by family, friends and members of his clinical team, he rang the hospital’s end-of-treatment bell.
Luke received his care at
The Bayless Cancer Institute at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital, where a multidisciplinary team provides care for children with cancer and blood disorders. Physicians, nurses, advanced practice providers, therapists and support specialists work together to develop individualized treatment plans tailored to each child’s needs.
Patients also have access to innovative therapies through research and clinical trials. For certain pediatric cancers, the recently opened
BayCare Proton Center provides another advanced treatment option close to home. Beyond medical treatment, families have access to comprehensive support services, including the nearby
Ronald McDonald House.
“Pediatric cancer treatment can be a long and demanding journey for a child and the entire family,” said Dr. Don Eslin, medical director of pediatric oncology at The Bayless Cancer Institute. “Our goal is to provide the most effective treatment available while surrounding families with the expertise, compassion and support they need every step of the way.”
For Luke’s mother, the expertise of his care team was matched by the compassion they showed her son and family throughout his treatment.
“Every person who cared for Luke was gentle, kind and incredibly skilled,” she said. “They saved our son’s life and supported our family through some of our hardest days. We truly feel like they are part of our family now, and are so thankful God placed such caring people in our lives to walk alongside us through this cancer journey.”
Today, Luke is doing well and enjoying the routines of childhood again. He dreams of becoming a paleontologist when he grows up, one of the many adventures that await him.
Learn more about BayCare’s pediatric oncology and hematology services:
The Bayless Cancer Institute at St. Joseph's Children's Hospital
