Lukas Lobo, 15 years old and from Ronda, is facing a relapse of Ewing sarcoma and lives in Málaga with his parents, 100 kilometres away from his siblings. His mother is requesting housing to unite the family during treatment.
Lukas Lobo, 15 years old and a resident of Ronda, is facing a relapse of Ewing sarcoma, a cancer he was diagnosed with at the age of 12. Since November, when he himself detected a lump on his head, his life and that of his family have been put on hold again, now 100 kilometres from home, in an apartment provided in Málaga by the Cesare Scariolo Foundation. This is reported by Diario Sur.
Lukas's mother, Francina Campoy, 59, is his full-time caregiver and states that the provided apartment is for three people, meaning his two older siblings and the family pets remain in Ronda. "I miss my older siblings and my pets, who live in our apartment in Ronda," Lukas confesses. Francina asserts that her "biggest dream" is to secure housing in Málaga to have everyone together: "A child is being denied the chance to be with his loved ones in times like these. Every day counts."
"Our dream is to be able to live together as a family in Málaga, to secure housing and spend this time together. Every day counts."
The diagnosis came after a year of recurrent fevers, muscle pain, and weight loss that were attributed to growth. A blood test and an X-ray at the health centre in Ronda revealed a large mass in the chest. After undergoing radiotherapy, surgery at the Materno Infantil Hospital in Málaga where three ribs were removed and a titanium mesh was placed, and a year of hospitalisation, he achieved complete remission in April 2023. The family returned to Ronda for the maintenance phase, but in November Lukas noticed a lump on his head that turned out to be a new tumour in the skull. He was successfully operated on and is now participating in the rEECur clinical trial, scheduled for two years.
The economic situation exacerbates the problem. Francina cannot work because she cares for Lukas, and his father, a 64-year-old waiter, is on sick leave. They cannot access the CUME benefit or dependency assistance, and they have had the Minimum Vital Income withdrawn, leaving them with only 57 euros a month for the minor. "I believe that the sarcoma has already taken enough from him, so he shouldn't have to lack security or feel different from others," Francina laments.
Despite everything, Lukas has graduated from secondary school without repeating a year, and on September 15, the day he turns 16, he will start a vocational course in Laboratory Operations at the Labour University of Málaga. "I have always liked knowing what is happening to me. What better way to know than by looking at it through a microscope," he explains. On the same day, he has a CT scan scheduled for the morning at the hospital.
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