Ronda teenager battles cancer relapse 100 kilometres from home in Malaga

Their life in Ronda was put on hold several years ago after a diagnosis changed everything. What was initially attributed to the typical aches and pains of growing up or the weight of his school rucksack turned out to be something far more serious. After almost an entire school year of recurring fevers, muscle pain and weight loss, a blood test and X-ray at the Ronda health centre raised the alarm when they revealed a large mass in his chest. Lukas was barely 12.

"It's the worst thing I've ever been told," says Francina Campoy, recalling the day she learnt of Lukas's diagnosis at the Hospital Materno Infantil in Malaga: metastatic Ewing's sarcoma.

Their lives were put on hold. Treatment began with radiotherapy and a complex operation in which three ribs, soft tissue and the pleura were removed. They then reconstructed the area with a titanium mesh. After a year in hospital, Lukas achieved complete remission in April and the family were able to return to Ronda for the maintenance phase.

Lukas is now 15 and has always been fully aware of his condition and treatment. "Because he knows exactly what's happening and keeps an eye on his health, we were able to spot this relapse in time," says Francina.

In November last year, Lukas himself noticed a small lump on his head, confirming their fears that the cancer had returned with a new tumour in his skull. He underwent successful surgery to remove the mass before it could affect his brain, then returned to chemotherapy. He's now taking part in the rEECur clinical trial, which is due to last two years.

"There's one question I can't stop asking myself: what will happen after that time?" Francina says.

The demands of Lukas's treatment have once again forced him and his family to move to Malaga, 100 kilometres from their home. He lives with his mother and father in a flat provided by the Cesare Scariolo Foundation, allowing them to stay together during this new phase of his cancer treatment.

The family is extremely grateful to the foundation, but returning to a life dominated by hospital appointments has disrupted their daily routine. The accommodation can house only three people.

"I miss my older brothers and my pets, who live in our flat in Ronda," Lukas says.

For Francina, 59, who is entirely devoted to caring for her son, the overriding priority is to bring the whole family together in the provincial capital. His treatment will involve years of regular check-ups and monitoring.

"Our greatest dream is for us all to be able to come to Malaga and for something to be done so that we can find a home here and get through all this together. To be with our family," Francina says.

"A child is being denied the chance to be with his loved ones at times like these. Every day counts. What we're living is the day we have."

The emotional burden is compounded by a difficult financial situation. Francina cannot work outside the home because she's a full-time carer, while Lukas's father, a 64-year-old waiter, is currently on sick leave.

This situation means they cannot access benefits such as CUME, a Spanish scheme providing support for parents who care for children with cancer. Nor do they receive dependency support because the assessment does not recognise their situation, as Lukas retains basic physical mobility.

The authorities have also withdrawn the family's 'Ingreso Mínimo Vital' (Minimum Living Income, Spain's basic income support scheme) after taking his father's sick leave into account, while demanding repayment of amounts they say were received in error. The family has been left with only a 57-euro allowance for Lukas.

"I feel that the sarcoma has already taken enough away from him without him also having to go without security or feel different from everyone else," says Francina.

"These aren't luxuries. It's simply that if one day he wants to go downstairs for an ice cream, I can take him. Or if I have to go and pick him up four times, I've got enough money to put petrol in the car four times. A few days ago he wanted three Pokémon cards, so I bought them for him. He came back on the bus like the happiest child in the world. They're little things, but you have to live them," his mother adds.

Lukas's diagnosis has brought his teenage years and social life to a standstill. He lives with a titanium mesh in his head and another in his chest, suffers from chronic inflammation and experiences severe pain if he spends too long sitting or walking. He's also unable to exert himself physically or take part in sport.

In Malaga, away from his friends in Ronda, his daily routine has essentially been reduced to the four walls of his bedroom.

"Being in my room playing video games is my comfort zone. Going outside is never my first choice," Lukas says.

Despite constant interruptions from his medical treatment, Lukas's determination and hard work have enabled him to complete compulsory secondary education in Spain, known as ESO, without repeating a year.

On 15 September, the day he turns 16, he will begin an intermediate vocational training course in Laboratory Operations at Universidad Laboral de Málaga.

"I've always liked knowing what's happening to me. It's always interested me. What better way to find out than by looking at it through a microscope?" he says, speaking with maturity and enthusiasm about the new academic year.

His birthday will begin at the hospital, where he will undergo a CT scan first thing in the morning before going to class.

This is his reality, the story being told in this feature and the battle he faces every day. Francina has also set out to show that reality on social media through @lafuerzadelukas.

"I want people to know what Ewing's sarcoma is and to put a face to it. I want them to know that Lukas is here and that he isn't a number. He's a reality," Francina concludes.