Maui’s Trucker Dukes Undergoes Surgery

Image courtesy: Team Trucker Facebook page.

Beloved Maui boy, Trucker Dukes, who has been battling a rare and aggressive cancer for about a year, underwent surgery this morning at a hospital in New York.

At 6:23 a.m. HST, an update was posted on the “Team Trucker – Trucker Dukes Supporters” Facebook page saying, “Shauna (Trucker’s mom) just texted me Truckers done with surgery and they got it all she’s waiting to see him.”

Trucker Dukes. Photo courtesy: Trucker Dukes Facebook page.

Doctors at Memorial-Sloan Kettering Cancer Center were scheduled to begin surgery at 2:30 a.m. HST (7:30 a.m. EST) today to remove a tumor from his brain, according to updates posted on the “Team Trucker – Trucker Dukes Supporters” Facebook page which has an estimated 14,000 followers.

Supporters posted a prayer request via social media in the hopes of complete healing from the neuroblastoma, and that Trucker’s communication and speech be preserved and unaltered from the surgery.

Trucker Dukes is the youngest son of Maui fire fighter Joshua Dukes and Maui jewelry maker Shauna Dukes.

Monetary donations to the “Trucker Dukes Cancer Fund” can be made online and at any Bank of Hawaii branch or at the Give Forward “Baby Trucker Dukes Cancer Fund” webpage. Regular updates on Trucker and fundraising events are posted on www.facebook.com/teamtrucker.

Supporters also shared an Instagram message from Shauna Dukes that reads as follows:

“How do you prepare your mamma heart to hand your baby over to strangers for brain surgery? How do you prepare your mamma heart for the new scars that will be left on his head? Im really not sure either.. ‪#‎sharedachinghearts‬ My heart is sad and yet i have a strange peace.. I am grateful we caught it early and that he is being operated on by one of the best surgeons in the world. Our ‪#‎littlelegend‬ is in surgery now so please be praying for the Dr. that he gets it all with no complications.. Most of you know by now but in case you didnt we found a new neuroblastoma tumor on truckers brain last week with his MRI!! ‪#‎cancersucks‬ He is having it removed today and also another new port placed in his head that will stay there his whole life. After his little head heals in a week or two he will start a whole new protocol with more radiation, chemo, and antibodies straight to his head!! Trucker and i will be in NYC probably until Christmas and really is no end in sight as to how long we will have to keep coming to NY.. As long as it takes!! Thank you all for your prayers, your donations, and your love… It is felt!! We love you!! ‪#‎teamtrucker‬ ‪#‎LOVEbeatscancer‬ ‪#‎onedayatatime‬ ‪#‎mybabyismyhero‬ ‪#‎truckertough‬ ‪#‎punchcancerintheface‬ ‪#‎alwayschooseLOVE‬“