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Help us help Tommie Lukowski

Tommie Lukowski is a young firefighter with the Old Bridge Volunteer Fire Department, East Brunswick Fire District 1.  At the young age of 19, Tommie has endured more battles and hardship than most of us will in a lifetime.  In September of 2007, Tommie was diagnosed with having a life threatening malignant tumor in his arm.  In less than a month he started to undergo chemo therapy.  After three months of chemotherapy, Tommie underwent 13 hours of surgery to remove his elbow joint and part of his humerus bone and tricep which were then replaced with a metal joint and muscle from his back.  He was then prescribed, in addition to all the medications he's been taking, a new round of stronger chemo in order to eradicate any cancer that might still be present.  He has had chemotherapy for over a year and while he is still undergoing physical therapy, and will be for some time, as of December 2008 he's been diagnosed as cancer free.

Tommie did not face his battles alone.  With his mother and sister beside him, they were joined by relatives, friends and strangers.  Although they won their battle against the cancer that threatened his life, their woes are far from over.  The family medical bills have accumulated to over $100,000.  Various dinners, affairs and events have taken place to raise funds and help the Lukowski family offset these expenses.   Robyn and Bob Herbst, close friends of the Lukowski family, have started, and are maintaining, a nonprofit organization to help with the mounting costs of the medical bills.  They can be reached at (732) 328-9252.  For those who wish to make a donation, checks can be made out to Tommie Lukowski Special Fund in care of Bob Herbst and sent to 25 Channing Road, East Brunswick, NJ 08816.

East Brunswick Independent Fire Company did its share as well.  As firefighters always help their brothers, the members of EBIFC on August 23, 2008, under the leadership of President Rich Jewett and Chief Jim Varick, set out to collect donations for Tommie Lukowski.  Placed in strategic intersections within EBIFC's area, the members, throughout the day, using the age old boot drive method, collected donations from passing motorists.  On December 22, 2008, during OBVFD members' monthly meeting, President Jewett and Chief Varick presented Tommie Lukowski with a check in the amount of $5000 - all collected by the members of EBIFC and donated by passing motorists.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To donate:

Make checks out to:       Tommie Lukowski Special Fund in care of Bob Herbst

Send to:                           25 Channing Road,  East Brunswick,  NJ 08816

Phone:                             (732) 328-9252

 

 

For more info see:

Events will help teen recovering from cancer
Family grateful for community's support
 

 

 

 

 

 

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