Brain tumor for St. Charles medical student a cruel irony

P.J. Lukac was taking his final exams late last year, just like several other students at Columbia University Medical School in New York. His final exam was related to the brain and the central nervous system, key elements in his neuropathology studies.

It didn't click in at the time for Lukac, a St. Charles resident and 2003 graduate of Burlington-Central High School, that his own brain was not functioning the way it had for his 24 years of life.

"I went to play squash with some friends and I noticed I was really out of breath, and then I had these strange little seizures," Lukac said. "I would hear a song in my head that I knew very well, but I couldn't think of the name of it, and I was confused about what people around me were saying, and I was having trouble with some of my words.

"But it only happened once in a while and I kind of just shrugged it off," Lukac said, "until I got home after my final exams and my mother told me to have it checked out and get an MRI."

Lukac had that test done, and he and his family were in shock for a couple of weeks after the diagnosis came back. In a twist of cruel irony, the first-year medical student learning about the complexities of the brain was suffering from a brain tumor. Not long after the test, Lukac underwent surgery, followed by radiation and chemotherapy treatments.

"Medically, I am doing really well right now," said Lukac. "My energy is coming back and I am feeling great."

This is great news for his family - and in providing the energy he needs to do his part in helping his family raise funds for the American Brain Tumor Association fourth annual Path to Progress 5K Run/Walk Saturday at Soldier Field.

The Lukacs, in fact, have been so focused on this event that the family has vaulted itself into first place among those raising funds, sitting at more than 80 members on "Team Peej" and raising more than $40,000.

"After the initial shock of my situation wore off in a week or two, everyone in the family really got into this event," Lukac said. "My sister is the team captain and she has been great at handling all of the logistic stuff."

Lukac said those who want to donate can do so until Saturday and he invites everyone to visit the Web site at runpjrun.com to learn more about donating.

For now, Lukac is focused on fundraising and getting his strength back.

"I finished my first semester at school, but with all of the treatments I have had, I didn't think I could adequately perform at school studies," he said. "But the college has been great about giving me a medical leave of absence, and I hope to start again next school year."