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Cancer, The Detour: Our View On Allegations That Woman Faked Cancer For Years
April 7, 2011
“How would you feel if you knew Sonja Luker did not have cancer?”
That’s the question an Escambia County Sheriff’s Office investigator asked us prior to the arrest of Sonja and Chris Luker on fraud charges after she allegedly faked cancer for financial gain. (Read story..)
The answer lies in the photographs and the video you see on this page.
We’ve all been touched by someone with cancer. A friend, a neighbor, a family member. Ourselves. This one hits close to home for all of us. I’m stepping out of the role of publisher and editor to answer that question as one of many touched by someone with cancer.
How did I feel about allegations that a woman I know had faked cancer for her own financial benefit? I fought back the tears until I got back to the office.
Then I cried, thinking of a girl named Ashley.
Meet the young lady on this page. Her name is Ashley. She’s my niece, now a high school senior and soon to be graduate of LaVergne High School outside Nashville. She was a healthy kid, one of those that seemed to have her head on straight. She was a star softball player at her high school with a promising future on a college softball field and a promising future in life. She’s smart and loves to write like her uncle (got to be proud of that one!).
On March 26 of last year, she injured herself playing softball like she loves. Off to the doctor she went, everyone thinking she had a cracked rib. There was a different diagnosis on April 1 — April Fools Day. But it was no joke.
“Stage 4 Ewing’s Sarcoma Cancer” were the words I heard on the phone. I had never heard of it, but Stage 4 sure sounded serious. As my parents talked, I type “Ewing’s Sarcoma” into Google. Malignant. Rare. Less than 2 cases per one million kids around the world.
“Long term survival rate: 10%”
One day you have a healthy niece with a promising life, and the next day you read “Long term survival rate: 10%”. Her life changed in an instant. It was a lot to comprehend. But when reality hit, Ashley, 17, announced that her life was still under construction and this cancer was just a detour along the way.
Ashley was blessed to live in Nashville near some of the nation’s top doctors at Vanderbilt Children’s Hospital. She underwent almost a year of treatments that were literal hell. The tumor was removed, along with ribs and part of her lung. Fourteen rounds of aggressive chemo just ended.
The detour is now over for Ashley. Doctors give her a 98% all clear.
Understand it’s not about my family. It’s about everyone with cancer. There are thousands of Ashleys. A friend, a neighbor, a family member. Maybe you as you read this. This one hits close to home for all of us.
“What they did was a disgrace to the people who died and have fought through the most deadliest thing.” — That was a comment made on our story about the Lukers shortly after it was posted Wednesday night. The person that made the comment chose not to post their real name, and I will respect that need for privacy. But I know that they recently watched a parent stolen from them in just weeks by cancer. This one hits home for all of us.
The allegations that Sonja Luker faked cancer will be a detour for our communities.
It’s more than a woman accused of taking money dishonestly and praying upon the generosity of good people. It will cost more than just the money that’s already alleged to be stolen. The cost and burden will fall upon the legitimate charities like the American Cancer Society that are working to fight the dreadful disease as skeptical people make fewer contributions. Every dollar given to Sonja Luker, if she is guilty of the alleged fraud, was a dollar that could have worked to find a cure for cancer.
Hundreds or thousands of us were victims of this alleged, almost unfathomable fraud to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. It’s no secret that NorthEscambia.com named Sonja Luker as one of our Persons of the Year for 2009. We were among the victims, and we have cooperated fully with law enforcement and their investigation.
Don’t be swayed by the guilt or innocence of Chris or Sonja Luker when it comes to future donations to fight cancer. The courts will decide that one; they are, under our laws, innocent until proven guilty. That’s not the point here.
Cancer continues to sneak into our lives and steal our loved ones away. I ask you to remember the Ashleys and all of the others that are on life’s detour with cancer. Take your anger, your rage, your pain and step up and be heard. Our communities will soon hold Relay for Life events, fully sanctioned and under the watchful eye of the American Cancer Society.
If you did not already, please watch the video at the top of the page and see what research by the American Cancer Society can accomplish.
Donate your time or money to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org). You will know that your donation will without a doubt help real cancer victims and will go toward research to one day rid our world of cancer.
Cancer is a detour on the road of life. Do your part to get thousands back on the path.
William Reynolds
Publisher, NorthEscambia.com
Pictured above: Ashley, niece of NorthEscambia.com publisher William Reynolds as she battled cancer. Pictured below: Ashley, declared likely cancer free, back on the pitcher’s mound last Friday at her high school near Nashville. The photo was taken exactly one year after her diagnosis. Photos courtesy Carla Lynn Photography, click to enlarge.
Comments
51 Responses to “Cancer, The Detour: Our View On Allegations That Woman Faked Cancer For Years”
I was hit with happy shock when i learned my cousin Ashley was clear of cancer. Bless all the people fighting the battle she fought, and remember, cancer is just a detour….
You article and pictures brought tears to my eyes. I have also lost loved ones to cancer including my father. For me the pain has never quite gone away, but I hope for you and Ashley nothing but the best life has to offer.
As I read your article if flashed to those days of hearing the doctor say “leukemia”, seeing my children’s faces when they heard the news, watching my husband go through chemotherapy, and the continuous praying to hear the confirmation words “cancer free”. Once your family is affected by cancer you are never the same…life is precious. God bless all cancer patients!
Thank you for the update on Ashley we have prayed for her and placed her on our prayer list at Shiloh Free Will Baptist Church. Keep the faith and look to God for his ever loving presence, most of all Trust Him.
Thank you William for sharing this personal and very moving story. Your niece and entire family will be in the hearts and prayers of many across this area. I feel truly blessed that you shared her struggle with us.
Thanks again,
What a beautiful young lady, inside and out. Beautiful life…amazing story! May God continue to bless.
thank you William….my husband just found out yesterday that he has on mass on his pancreas………..your story was wonderful and inspiring !
Wonderful story about an amazing and beautiful young lady! Thanks for sharing this with us William! God bless you and your precious niece!
Beautiful words! What a beautiful Hero Ashley is for your family and her friends and all Cancer patients are Heros to their families and friends. Thank you for this article
Thank you so much for this story William. No one could say it any better than you did. I exhort everyone to please pray for Ashley; our other family and neighbors who are afflicted with cancer; and for the Lukers…who, whether guilty or innocent, really need our prayers. They do have innocent family, and they are innocent until proven guilty. I do believe that God can use this terrible situation to His glory in some way, as He always does. We should always give as the Lord leads, and help our neighbors to the best of our ability. The Bible doesn’t say to test to see if their need is legitimate. So therefore if we give when they ask and then they are found guilty of abusing our trust, the Lord WILL repay…both ways. If the guilty don’t repent, they will pay for eternity. The giver will ALWAYS be rewarded if not on earth then in Heaven. We may be feeling like a fool when we are deceived, but the greater shame will be on the deceiver. May God and we have mercy on them.
WOW! WOW! WOW! I always try to look for the silver lining in things and if one thing can be said for the Luker situation, it gave us the opportunity to meet Ashley through this beautiful story. And she proves, He is amazing, He is real and He works miracles. What a beautiful girl, both inside and out!
What a beautiful story. This is one brave young lady. I was diaganosed with breast cancer almost 13 years ago. Went thru my surgery, and radiation. I declined the chemo. They gave me a 98 percent survival rate with the surgery alone. Like EMD said, that stuff destroys every good cell along with the bad. Bad news as far as I am concerned. There is a supplement called “Juice Plus” that MD Anderson in Houston(where I lived at the time, and received my treatment) did researach on. It is condensed fruits in pill form(take two in the morning) and veggies(two of those at night. They said it was an awesom thing for your immune system. It is a little costly, but well worht it. You can google it up and find where to order on Amazon. Thank you William for this story. A story of hope love and endurance. Faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these things is love.
Wow, very powerful story, William. You are an exceptional person and from this story, it seems to run in your family. I will add Ashley to my prayer list and pray for her continued healing!
I still am in SHOCK that any one could fake cancer,, I myself just ended my radition Wensday for 6 weeks for Vocal cord cancer. I went in hospital in Jan with Pnemonia to my left lung and while doing a ruteen scope the Dr found the tumor, Week later he sat me down and told me it was Cancer . I was in shock never thought me.. Yes i believe i am cured but as all cancer victims you have at least 5 years follow up to ensure it does not return and it makes you see just how fragile your life can be.. I say the only thing this couple deserves is to fund all the money to the cancer society and have to sit and watch a real victim go through the torture of radiation and chemo,, I myself feel as though someone has plowed my throat with broken glass and speak a a bare whispher,but it will get better,,Look in a childs eyes thats dealing with it,, it is heart breaking,, How in Gods name can this couple even live with themselves
Harvey Stacey
Atmore ,Al
So glad your story has a wonderful ending for such a beautiful young lady.
Powerful Story William. This is what everyone donated to when the donated to the Luckers. I for one am not deterred from donating to worthy causes. The lesson learned is to give to legitimate charity organizations.
What a beautiful girl. Thank God she is making it.
Even as a one time medical professional, I would prefer alternative medicine which is diet and supplement based. But, I would be very careful which researchers I supported. I would be more inclined to support, financially, the patient or their family with all the extra expenses involved, for I do not think most insurance pays for this kind of treatment. I will just say what I know here: Chemo and radiation destroys the body’s immune system, the only natural defense against this dreaded disease. There are nutrients that build up the immune system. I have seen, heard and studied this quite a bit in the past. My sister has, more than I. Our mother, great aunt, aunt, and grandmother, and my husband, all died of cancer. And, I am of the opinion that nutrition is the way to go. I would take that and the pallative (for comfort) route if it was my decision, and I would put my money there. A good juice extractor is a good investment. I have a Breville, It is very good.
as beatiful as she is on the outside she is 100 times over on the inside.
WOW – God Bless Ashley..he does work Miracles..Thank you for this story it will touch hearts everywere. Ashley is Beautiful!!!
I can only “ditto” what everyone has already said. Heart warming story under sad circumstances. Thank you William for sharing your story and for hopefully grounding the hurt/betrayed feelings a lot of folks are having right now.
William, what a beautiful young lady!
When I was reading this story it just broke my heart I thought about my own daughter,she loves loves softaball as well and to think of that being taking away just like that and how lives can be changed in a blink of an eye.Words can’t express how happy I am that she is back on that pitchers mound…
It took me a few minutes to grasp this information this morning when I read the story,my husband and I help on fund rasiers for this family, I fell terrible that we should have just look into it more, however who wouldn’t have thought it not to have been true,my husband went to school with them, we thought them to be honest people, I guess its a lesson learned you really don’t know people as well as you think you do
What a beautiful girl..and beautiful attitude..our prayers are with her and her family as she recovers , and with the will of God,my hope is that she will lead a long and wonderful life!
Stories of fraud like this one quickly get us so angry, but please remember there are so many legitimate needs in our community and surrounding areas.Anyone can be decieved — I have been before and will be again I’m sure—we try to see the good in people and want to help. All legitimate charities or fundraisers should have, and be willing to share the proof you need to make an informed decision.
Please keep sharing so we don’t punish the people who count on our help.
Thank you for sharing. I would hate to know that people like Sonja Luker would make generous people stop donating towards the fight for a cure of all cancers. I lost the most wonder woman, my grandmother, to lymphoma in 1998. I am now a volunteer with Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training. We help raise money for the cure! Keep the donations coming and hopefully the court system will make Mrs. Luker pay back every dine.
William,
You are blessed to have this young woman as a niece and I thank you for blessing us with her story. She is truly an inspiration to all and God has a plan for her.
Beautiful young lady!
Dido to what everyone has said. thanks for sharing your story. Prayers to your neice.
Thank you for sharing – I think all of the other comments have expressed everything that I wanted to much better than I can
Prayers for your neice – I am so glad she has “beat the odds” and hoping she has a long, happy, and productive life
I pray for your niece that she will continue to live a cancer free life. She is beautiful girl. My sister is fighting cancer now and I see what she is going through. She has some good days and others not so good. I just can’t comprehend anyone for any reason saying, they have cancer to get money. William this was a great article you wrote.
This made me cry…so glad she is doing good. God is good!
GORGEOUS young girl with an inspiring story….she is a miracle and she will lead a wonderful life…she really is beautiful…Congratulations on your remission!
William, your neice is so beautiful and has a wonderful spirit. Praying she continues to be in remission.
What a beautiful young lady with a touching story. I’m so glad to hear a happy ending!
Thank you, William, for bringing us back to reality! Your words were well spoken – - – and very true. We must not allow ourselves to punish all for what a few may have done. Stepping out of your role of publisher and editor is risky – but sometimes necessary. Keep up the good work, Sir. Our community needs you………
Great story, very touching! Thanks for sharing…. your niece is beautiful with an amazing spirit to be only 17…..
beautiful girl, beautiful story…thanks william…
Wow…Awesome story! Makes me cry!
You just never know….
William – thank you for this article!
Thank you for that beautiful story. It was very inspiring to me and others. , I’m praying for strength,peace and total healing. She is going to help so many,glory be to God .. God Bless to all,
“announced that her life was still under construction and this cancer was just a detour along the way” – That is amazing. To be 17 and facing cancer, yet having such a positive attitude not only shows a solid family foundation, but the determination she has is going to take her so far. Absolutely beautiful!
I am glad your niece is better and on the ball field again. Cancer as you well know is a terriable thing and something none of us want to hear that we have it.
This video and story touched my heart this morning! Thanks so much. Will be praying for your niece to remain cancer free!
Wonderful story William. Prayers for continued remission for your neice!
Well said William.
Well said, William.
This is such an inspiring story to all who are fighting cancer. What a truly blessed young woman your niece is. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Thank you William…that is an awesome video. Lovely girl inside and out.
this is a well done article, thanks for sharing. I lost both my parents to cancer by the time i was 38. yesterday, april 6th, it was 11 years since my mom passed.
I am so glad you wrote this article and it is so true, if she lied then she did disgrace all of those who have fought and died from this awful disease and God bless all that fight it daily and there families
Thank you for such a wonderrful story. And I couldnt imagine anyone thinking less of your great work when it comes to naming Sonja person of the year. Like you stated, you were victims just like the rest of us.
I know the Lukers and it so hard to believe they would do that, but a lot of people do things now a days that they shouldn’t do. It is not our place to judge them for what they have done…..they will be judged in the end. It does hurt my heart that so many people gave there all for her when they could have given it to someone who really did need it. The story of your niece is sad but inspiring at the same time. The video made me cry and smile all at the same time, thank you for sharing that personal story with us.
I know how you feel about all of this my aunt was just diagnosed with Lymphoma. So it bothers me very much that someone like Sonja would go to great lengths and shave there own head just to keep up appearances.
I think every penny of the money given to her she should have to give back to the American Cancer Society……you know the people who really need it!
First of all your niece is beautiful! Second thank you for writing this wonderful story, great job. Yes this hits close to home.