This love story will touch every person's heart. 12-year-old Stella from New York has fallen in love with Lucas Lowe. They have a lot in common, including something really sad. The pair met each other in a hospital, where they were both fighting a deadly form of cancer called acute lymphoblastic leukemia. This type of cancer typically has symptoms of fever, joint paint, and fatigue at the start, but can quickly become more severe. Both Stella and Lucas have undergone intense chemotherapy in numerous hospitals.
They've also undergone bone marrow transplants - an extremely painful procedure.
The two adolescents quickly bonded and found tremendous amounts of support in one another whenever they were feeling weighed down by the cancer. As they got older and puberty set in, their friendship transformed into a first love.
Lucas reported proudly, "She had a crush on me for a long time and me too. That's why we're now boyfriend and girlfriend." The "dates" that these two go on look a little different than other kids their age. They like to have lunch together or spend the afternoon playing board games.
And they've already had their first kiss: "But only on the cheek. We're not allowed to kiss without our masks on, but she does it anyways," said Lucas. Stella is overjoyed and feels like a princess when the two are together. "Yeah, I have all these setbacks and awful things, but I'd have never gotten through it all if I hadn't met Lucas."
The illness hasn't just made these two inseparable, it's also made them a lot more mature than most kids their age. Stella's not doing well and her doctors are trying as hard as they can to find out why that is.
Lucas decided to make a touching video to support his girlfriend and give her the strength to carry on. He made a small sign that said, "You are my light and laugh," and on the other side, "When your feeling sad, so am I." Check out the video here:
Lucas gave Stella a friendship ring as a sign of his care. The two are going to dance together at prom this year, because they're not certain they'll have the chance next year.
The parents of the two youngsters are also surprised by the young love. They act like an old married couple according to Stella's mother, Jennifer. "Cancer teaches you that there is no guarantee of tomorrow," said Lucas' mother.
We can only wish the young couple lots of strength and courage to keep fighting and hopefully one day, they will live cancer-free together.
