Help Lucas Fight Leukemia: Donations Needed

We can be moving through our daily lives with our own struggles, feeling stressed and overwhelmed by our task lists or by big world problems outside of our own reach to catalyst change. And then there it is. All it takes is one text message to shake everything into perspective.

Lucas is my 4 year old neighbor. He is a bright light that beams joy and radiates childhood innocence. Anyone around him can feel his warmth and hunger for life. He rides down our dirt roads on his John Deere with his literal straw hat, hollering hellos and waving fiercely. "Hi! Miss Jacki! Hiiiii!"

The boy who never stops talking and asking the real questions.

The boy who will shout poetry and poke mushrooms with a stick.

The boy who runs to the front of the pack in his Lightning McQueen crocs.

The boy who is the first to leap to his hurt friend and hug them a bit too tightly.

The boy who was just diagnosed with leukemia.

Over the last month, Lucas would have bruising that was dismissed as tough farm kid life. Earlier this week, his mama noticed an increase in the odd bruising and followed her gut, taking him to the pediatrician. He was looked over and immediately sent to the local ER. Within hours of preliminary testing, Lucas was quickly helicoptered to Stanford Children's Hospital. Lucas's platelet count and hemoglobin were critically low.

The next day, Lucas was put under general anesthesia for bone and bone marrow biopsies, lumbar puncture, port placement, and first dose of chemotherapy. That night, his infusions began and will continue for the the next 1-2 weeks of in patient care. Following, Lucas will have a month of his induction method of his first round of chemotherapy. His family will hopefully be staying at the Ronald McDonald house for the duration of his first round of treatment.

As a single-income family of 5, the Ionascu family is welcoming financial support to ease their burden and solely focus on bringing Lucas back to health and bringing his fire back. Lucas has a 2 year old sister, Evie, and a 8 month old sister, Gemma. His mama, Rylee, and his dad, Emi, are all by his side through this whole nightmare as Lucas fights. Emi is forced to take leave from work to help Lucas and his sisters, creating a need for financial generosity from our community and those farther away with the means to give.

All contributions will go directly to the Ionascu family in support of Lucas's healing journey. Hopefully, with your donations, their family can stay together holding each of Lucas's hands. Hopefully, with your donations, they can walk away from treatment without debt to carry along with their trauma. And hopefully, with your donations, we can get Lucas home to his farm and back to chasing Monarchs (while telling you their detailed lifecycle).

Lucas's family is beyond grateful for any and all support, and above all else, they ask for your prayers.