A local family is in need of the Maltese’s generosity to be able to raise a hefty sum of €67,000 for their 5-year-old son Luke, who needs two operations on his leg in the US this summer.

About Luke & his family

Luke is a 5-year-old boy with a gorgeous smile. He was diagnosed with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) a few months after he was born, which is a genetic disorder of the nervous system, and in Luke’s case, it happened from a spontaneous mutation in the genes. In extreme cases, NF1 can cause limb deformities, and Luke was that precious 1 in a 250,000 child affected by it. The disease surrounds the leg bone by tumorous issues and the cells eat up the bone.

“Most parents of children with this condition have opted for amputation,” said Audrey and John Pitt, Luke’s parents in a video they released on Facebook page A Better Life For Luke explaining their son’s condition and the need for a fundraiser. “That’s not what we wanted.”

The family have explored a number of treatment options and finally found one that would suit Luke’s lifestyle. Dr Dror Paley,a renowned surgeon in Florida, can tackle Luke's issues internally, and he'll only have to wear a brace until he’s 16, as opposed to all his life, as other treatments have suggested.

A hefty cost

The two operations taking place in July and August respectively will improve Luke’s quality of life. Luke’s family had already self-funded the bigger part of his first surgery back in 2017, costing over $115,000, which has thankfully given him the ability to run, cycle and walk normally. He even took part in his school's sports day recently! 

But he's not out of the woods yet. Luke’s upcoming surgeries will cost €67,000 alone, excluding travel and accommodation. “We’re reaching out because we’d like to raise awareness. We got a lot of help and support from parents who started this journey before us, and we feel now it’s our turn to pass on this knowledge to perhaps a parent who is going through this journey,” they say.

Donate to help Luke!

Donations can be made as follows:

1. Bank transfer:

Bank account: A Better Life For Luke Association
Bank of Valletta PLC
IBAN: MT65 VALL 2201 3000 0000 4002 5883 194
Sort Code: 22013
Bank’s BIC: VALLMTMT

2. SMS:

Send a message on 5061 9258. Each SMS costs €11.65

3. Paypal or Credit Card

To donate via paypal or credit card you can click here. Substantial charges will be deducted from the funds sent, however, so donating via this option will not give the full amount to Luke’s family.

A Better Life For Luke Association is a philanthropic cause set up by a temporary voluntary organisation. If contributions exceed the required €67,000, the excess money will be transferred to another voluntary organisation.

For more information about Luke and his family, visit their website or contact them on [email protected].