September 26, 2025
Finding the Good in the Hard
My preschool blog is coming to you today from the Children’s Hospital at Duke. It’s become a very familiar place for my family over the last four years, ever since my son, Luke, was diagnosed with Rhabdomyosarcoma in July 2021. That day is branded in my memory—it was my husband’s birthday when we got the call, the one that confirmed what everyone suspected: cancer, in the orbit of Luke’s right eye.
I remember falling to the floor in my kitchen—not just in despair, but also in relief. Relief that Luke did not have the most aggressive form of this cancer. Relief that his PET scan showed it had not spread. That was the first time I learned how to find good news in the midst of the bad, and that practice has carried me through the years that followed.
Many of you have followed Luke’s journey since his diagnosis, and some of you joined later. Some families have even left the preschool, returned with younger siblings, and still asked for Luke. The love and support I have received from this preschool community is staggering, and I carry it with me every day.
The road has been anything but easy. Most recently, Luke has faced the long-term side effects of radiation on his right eye. Over time, his vision faltered, and this past August he underwent cataract surgery to restore some of what was lost. Today, he wears glasses proudly—and while I may be a biased momma, I think he looks even more handsome than before. 🙂
The last four years have been rough—rocky roads, potholes, and plenty of stop signs. But in the midst of the hard, I have tried to keep my eyes on the good. And when I look back, I see so much beauty along this journey:
- A new love for Philadelphia, the city that welcomed us when we were lost and afraid
- Luke’s obsession with football and the Eagles (shared with his parents, even if we cheer for different teams 😉)
- Watching him fiercely play soccer
- Summers that carry their triggers, but also the joy of Luke and Lily’s laughter and silliness on vacation
- A deeper appreciation for friends, family, and community who never stopped holding us up and walking this path with us
- Enjoying our little family and the joy we find in the everyday mundane of “who’s doing carpool” and “who is taking which child to which activity”
- Continuing our commitment to the St. Baldrick’s Foundation, where my sweet husband has shaved his head for 17 years in honor of kids fighting cancer
- Watching Lily love and protect Luke, and the bond between siblings grow stronger—even through the constant bickering that comes with this age
- Knowing I can feel happiness again
Today, we wore gold to honor all the families walking this awful road with their own children. Today, my husband, Luke, and I drove once again along our well-traveled path to Duke for Luke’s repeat six-month cancer scans. Today, if he has clear scans, marks the LAST scans my son will have in his cancer journey.
In the next week, we will learn his results. And by then, by the grace of God, we will once again find the good in the bad, as we celebrate our boy for everything he is and will be.
I leave you with my most cherished Bible verse that has gotten me through these last 4 years, from Joshua 1:9.
“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged. For the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Until next time,
Jess