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St. Jude helps Acadiana boy cross the finish line cancer-free

Posted at 6:12 AM, Jun 13, 2019
and last updated 2019-06-13 07:23:28-04

Luke Osbourne was just a toddler when he was diagnosed with lymphoblastic leukemia. But today, he’s living his best life, cancer-free and growing stronger all thanks to St. Jude.

Last year Luke was racing his way to the finish line with the assistance of his walker.

These days, however, the walker is gone and Luke is doing it on his own.

“It’s truly a miracle,” says his mother Shaunna Osbourne. “Nobody understands what it’s like to go through unless you have a child that has gone through a potentially fatal illness.”

At two, Luke and his family made the journey to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. Shaunna, his mother, was pregnant with Luke’s little sister at the time. She says that while it was a scary time for the family, St. Jude made sure that every need was met.

“They don’t charge you a dime. You never see a bill,” says Shaunna. “I was five months pregnant when we went over there. They asked if I needed help finding a doctor while I was there. Any support that they had they offered and gave us. it was wonderful.”

Now six years old, Luke is racing through life ‘Straight Outta Chemo’ and ‘Stronger Than Cancer.’

“To hear the words ‘cancer’ were life-shattering,” says Osbourne. “To hear the words ‘cancer-free’ is a miracle. Miracles happen there.”

Despite all Luke has gone through, the chemo and the medication, that sweet smile has never once faded.
Today, that smile is bigger than ever.

“It hasn’t affected his personality one bit. Everything that he’s been through. He’s still full of life and full of energy. We love it. We love it,” adds Shaunna.

With the support of his family and St. Jude, Luke will continue his journey through life one step at a time.

To purchase your $100 ticket for the St. Jude Dream Home and help save the life of a child, go to KATC.com/dreamhome. The deadline to purchase a ticket and be entered for a chance to win a 2019 Toyota Camry LE is midnight on Friday, June 14.

The St. Jude Sell-A-Thon will begin Thursday, June 13 from 6-9am and 4-7pm. Call 337-236-6333 or 1-800-724-1918.

You can tour the Dream Home this weekend, Saturday, June 15 and Sunday, June 16. For the schedule, click here.