2-1-17 shooting it for luke-uw oshkosh titans

If you’ve attended a University of Wisconsin Oshkosh men’s basketball game recently, you may have noticed a new face sitting on the bench with the team. He’s not a trainer, transfer student or the world’s youngest college basketball coach; he is Luke Peters, an eighth-grader from Neenah.  On Wednesday, Feb. 1, the UWO men’s basketball team will host a “Shooting it for Luke” fundraising event at its 7 p.m. home game against UW-Stevens Point at Kolf Sports Center. All proceeds from the night will go directly to the Fox Valley Brain Coalition. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase an official “Shooting it for Luke” T-shirt for $10, enter to win raffle prizes and participate in other activities to support the cause.   Luke was diagnosed with a brain tumor one week before his sixth birthday. He was at his friend’s house playing when he told his friend’s parents that he couldn’t see. Luke’s parents took him to the emergency room to have him checked out, his mother, Sue Peters, thought he may have had a concussion. Within hours Luke was flown to Children’s Hospital in Milwaukee where the doctors confirmed that he had a cancerous brain tumor. Two weeks later, Luke underwent surgery to have the tumor removed.    “No parent should hear that their child has a brain tumor. That day forever changed our lives,” Sue said.   While Luke was recovering, his family found support through the Fox Valley Brain Tumor Coalition and Children’s Oncology Services based in the Chicago area. The Peters family became active in both groups.  At a Children’s Oncology Services annual family camp, they learned about a nonprofit organization called the Friends of Jaclyn Foundation (FOJ), which works to improve the quality of life for children battling pediatric brain tumors and other childhood cancers. The foundation raises awareness through their Adopt-A-Child, Safe on the Sidelines and Guardian Angel programs. FOJ pairs children with cancer and their siblings with local high school and college sports teams, campus clubs and arts programs in their community.   Luke was adopted by the Titans men’s basketball team three years ago when he was in fifth grade. He has his own locker in UWO’s locker room, sits on the bench during many of the Titans home games and is in the locker room for pregame prep and halftime adjustments with head coach Pat Juckem and his squad.   The team has participated in various fundraisers since adopting Luke, including the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser where Luke and his family met the Titans men’s basketball team for the first time three years ago.   Three players participated this year in Luke’s honor in the St. Baldrick’s Foundation fundraiser, which is a head-shaving event to cure childhood cancer. St. Baldrick’s events raise critical funds for childhood cancer research.