When Lisa Marie Russell’s beloved dog Lukas was diagnosed with diabetes, she was crushed.
Questions immediately swirled through her head: How will he react to shots? Is his life going to be shortened? What does all of this involve?
At first, Lukas was fearful. But over time, he became surprisingly calm and accepting in the face of much uncertainty and anxiety. Russell was struck by his bravery.
Hearing from friends whose children had diabetes or had themselves been diagnosed when they were younger, Russell felt that translating her experience into a book could help children who are dealing with diabetes or other medical conditions.
Russell, an alumna of The Bishop’s School in La Jolla, published “Brave Like Lukas” on March 18, roughly five years after conceiving the idea. The book’s namesake, now 16, serves as narrator.
“Brave Like Lukas” walks readers through Lukas’ point of view as he receives shots and various treatments. With illustrations by Claudia Krissinger, the book also contains real-life photos and a journal prompting readers to share when they were brave.
Russell hopes it sparks discussion and shows kids they can overcome their fears.
“I was envisioning a child having this read to them, either by parents or an aunt or an uncle,” Russell said. “And then Lukas asks questions, so I thought that would be a chance for a little dialogue [or] the kids to maybe voice something they hadn’t.”
Russell self-published “Brave Like Lukas” but was not alone in her efforts. For the book’s design, she had the of her cousin Maureen Moore. And she found Krissinger through social media.
The book went from idea to reality in the past year. With no previous book writing experience, her system was integral in bringing it to life, Russell said.
“Maureen took a lot of the technical burden off me, and, of course, Claudia did these beautiful drawings,” Russell said. “So I could just sort of focus on the story and the message coming through.
“I think it was what I was envisioning. It might have been a little different, but the overall feeling to it was very much how I hoped it would be — very colorful, very happy, a hopeful message for the children reading it and the parents.”
Writing “Brave Like Lukas” became her purpose in a difficult time, she said, as well as a reminder of her own bravery.
“I learned I’m more creative than I thought I was and that I have a lot of tenacity,” Russell said. “I felt I had a very important story — a helpful story — to tell.”
Russell said she hopes to donate a portion of proceeds from the book to human and animal diabetes research. She also plans to make T-shirts, bandanas and more featuring illustrations from the book.
“Brave Like Lukas” is available through Amazon and at bravelikeluksandiegouniontribune.diariosergipano.net. ♦
