Holy Souls student cancer free

Published December 7, 2017

Our Lady of the Holy Souls School in Little Rock is rallying behind seventh-grader Luke Siria who battled a brain tumor. On May 2, 2014, he went into Arkansas Children’s Hospital to have a brain scan and was immediately admitted. The doctors found a large tumor on his brain that had metastasized down his spine.  A week later, Luke, then 9, faced the fight of his life as the surgeons cautiously removed the tumor.

While the tumor was removed, he was temporarily paralyzed throughout his body. As the months passed, Luke slowly gained use of his hands and arms. Soon the doctors determined that he was strong enough to begin treatments and he was transferred to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. He spent approximately a month in the St. Jude ICU and then started radiation treatments five days a week for six weeks. 

During this time, his Holy Souls family and friends sent cards, artwork, class updates and notes. Some of Luke’s classmates visited and went on scavenger hunts throughout the hospital. Family friends, Holy Souls School staff and students also raised money, prayed the living rosary and released balloons as a part of “Team Luke.”

His parents Nathan and Deanna Siria were encouraged that Holy Souls School would do everything it could for Luke to receive his lessons at the hospital and remain a student even if most days he didn’t feel like completing his classwork. Student services coordinator Melissa Koehler devised a plan that would allow him to stay with his original classmates while catching him up on the academics through one-on-one assistance.

Luke was able to return to Holy Souls for fourth grade in his wheelchair with the assistance of the staff and students. In fifth grade, he had meningitis but with proper treatment he recovered. For a short time that year he also had to attend another school where he could receive therapy, but he was able to once again return to Holy Souls.

Luke is now in seventh grade at Holy Souls School with his original classmates. He has undergone many trips back to St. Jude’s for cataract surgery, reconstruction of his eardrum and facial surgery. Best of all, he is cancer free.