Oley Profile - Luke

Luke is an exceptional 18-year-old who lost all but 10 inches of his small bowel after a car accident when he was in third grade. Eager to educate his peers, Luke went before his class when he returned to school and explained his surgery, what short bowel syndrome (SBS) is and all about home IV and tube feedings. Luke has also created a presentation to sensitize staff at Children’s Hospital-Columbus of about what it is like to have SBS and be admitted into their hospital. Luke had the pleasure of speaking at the Annual Manager's Symposium at Children's. He also spoke on behalf of Children’s at the Picker Institute Symposium on Family Centered Care in Boston.

Like other outgoing and active teenagers, Luke participates in school activities. He played the leading role in the high school play, was on the Golf Team for four years and the Retreat Team at Newark Catholic High School. What sets him apart, is his ability to handle his struggles with grace and to continually look on the bright side.

After years of interrupted sleep, Luke invented a device to prevent his feeding line from occluding during the night. In the seventh grade, Luke entered this device in a prestigious science fair and won the Governor’s Award in the Field of Biotechnology. The news of his award has also allowed Luke to educate people about SBS and homePEN, via the press coverage it has generated.

Luke puts his energy into living first and then fits in his medical needs. This philosophy has enabled him to live fully and to give back to others. Luke works with parents who have children on homePEN but are too young to speak for themselves. He explains what it is like to be on therapy, answers questions for them and most of all gives them hope for their children’s future.

Luke graduated from high school in June of 2006, and will be attending Mount Carmel School of Nursing to work on his BSN. He hopes to become a pediatric nurse.