Make-A-Wish helps Arlington Heights boy become a Jedi
Lukas Swanson will soon head west to realize one of his life dreams - studying to be a Jedi Knight.
The Arlington Heights boy, who will turn 6 later this month, received a trip to Disneyland to particpate in the Jedi Training Academy show from the Make-A-Wish Foundation. Swanson was born with a rare and life-threatening liver disease, and in 2012 underwent a full liver transplant operation.
Lukas, his parents and his two brothers celebrated the upcoming trip on Sunday at Menchie's, a frozen-yogurt outlet in Schaumburg that helped raise the money for the wish.
"It's so wonderful there are people in the world who raise money for things like this," said Lukas' mother, Robyn. "Our kids are delirious with excitement about it."
The Swanson family leaves for California on Oct. 13. Jedi Knights are, of course, key characters from the "Star Wars" saga, which Lukas was introduced to by his older brother, Gunnar.
Lukas is actually the second one in the family to receive a Make-A-Wish trip. His twin brother, Jacob, was born with the same rare liver disease. Jacob's transplant operation took place in 2011.
The disease they had is called biliary atresia, a condition that damages bile ducts in the liver. Doctors made the diagnosis after Robyn brought the boys in to be checked because both were jaundiced.
Lukas and Jacob continue to take medication that helps their bodies "accept" the transplanted livers, and they go to Lurie Children's Hospital in Chicago once a year for tests. So far, though, the operations appear to have been a success, and the boys' lives have become blessedly "normal," Robyn said.
"The big thing for us is that they started kindergarten this year," she said. "I was hoping we could get all the crazy medical stuff behind us before school started, and knock on wood, we've done it."
Kwan Choi, owner of the Menchie's outlet in Schaumburg, said Sunday he's proud to be a part of an organization that helps children like Lukas.
"The Menchie's brand as a whole raised more than $350,000 for Make-A-Wish during a recent fundraiser, and our store contributed the most of any in Illinois," he said.
For information about the Make-A-Wish Foundation, go to illinois.wish.org.