Luke's Journey

Help my daughter, Brooke, raise critical funds for her son Luke’s medical expenses related to his Autism. To attend school full time successfully this year he will need extensive treatment the family cannot afford. She is off to a great start, raising almost $1,000 of their $5,000 goal for August but we need your help. Our goal by November is $20,000.

Please donate and share. In her own words, Brooke describes why:

My amazing, bright and beautiful son Luke has struggled with Autism, Sensory Processing Disorder, ADHD, Depression and Anxiety since he was 3 years old. Those who know him know how inquisitive, brilliant and empathetic he is. He is obsessed with dogs, space and Minecraft and will shock you with the most prophetic statements out of the blue! He believes strongly that all food, medicine, air and water should be free to everyone: “Mommy, if people need these things, why does it cost money?”

When Luke was just three years old (yes just THREE!) a private school administrator in Florida told Luke “No other school in the county will accept you because of your behaviors. You need to be on medication.” Luke has had a long journey since then and last year proved this administrator wrong by attending school full time for first grade here in Texas. Doing so has taken years of extensive, expensive therapy but Luke needs much, much more to make it through school this year. Luke is eight and going into second grade.

I am a single parent to Luke and his primary caregiver. It has been difficult for me to work full time the past five years as his care needs thus far have been almost full time. Covering his treatment expenses is a struggle to say the least. Luke struggles with most typical Autism symptoms but some of his behaviors are extreme and need extensive treatment I cannot even begin to afford – things like Applied Behavioral Analysis Therapy (Luke is unable to handle rooms with more than 10 people, sounds as light as the opening of a sliding door at Target or the brightness of the sunlight,) Physical Therapy (he will need braces for his legs if we don’t fix his way of walking on his toes very soon) and other creative therapies such as yoga and neurological acupuncture (we have a specialist in New Mexico for this.)

ABA Therapy, as our insurance will not cover it, combined with the costs of the other therapies he needs to succeed in school this year will cost more than $20,000 this year alone. His other therapies include physical therapy, occupational therapy, speech therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy and his psychiatrist.  I have spent the past five years attempting to solve our financial equation on my own and with the help of my immediate family but have realized recently, I need to ask my larger community for help. My son’s needs come far before my personal pride.

I’m not asking my community to help fund the full $20,000 need obviously! Any tiny amount will help immensely. I will close by sharing with you what we call “Our Good Night’s”. I say this same set of phrases every night when I put Luke to bed and have done so since he was a baby.

“Luke is smart. Luke is kind. Luke is strong and Luke is important. Mommy loves Lukie so much. Mommy is always going to be here for you. Mommy will always take care of you. You are safe and you are so loved by so many people. I hope you have sweet dreams Buddy. We are going to have an awesome day tomorrow.”

Take care,
Suzy Bode