Today we’d like to introduce you to Beth Childs.
Hi Beth, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
In 2020, my husband and I lost our son, Luke, to leukemia after a year long stay in the hospital. While living in the hospital with him, we saw many young patients who were often alone and families who were struggling to cope financially while facing the biggest challenge of their lives.
Throughout his treatment, Luke was unfazed by his illness and circumstances. He was content, an extremely easy patient, quick to laugh, and always living in the present. He was remarkably brave and deeply caring, constantly looking forward to the next thing he would get to do.
Inspired by Luke and determined to honor his legacy, we created Live Like Luke of Texas. Live Like Luke of Texas awards grants to families who have a child living in the hospital and need extra support. We typically help by paying large bills such as mortgages, rent, utilities, and car payments to ease financial stress. We do this because we know it meets a critical need, and because Luke would have loved knowing that children could be with their families and still find moments of joy together.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
One of our earliest challenges was figuring out how to get the money we raised into the hands of families who truly needed it. We created an application and shared our story and mission with social workers working in pediatric hospitals across Dallas and Fort Worth.
We did not begin as a 501(c)(3), but instead as a fund holder at Communities Foundation of Texas. Through our church, we formed a committee to review applications submitted on behalf of patients. This structure allowed us to begin supporting families quickly and responsibly, ensuring that help reached those facing the greatest need.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
What makes Live Like Luke of Texas unique is the way we meet families at their greatest point of need. While living in the hospital with our son, we saw that some assistance was available, but it was often limited to smaller supports such as grocery store or gas gift cards. There were also many generous toy and gift drives. While those resources matter, they did not address the larger financial burdens families were facing.
Families were missing work shifts, trying to support children at home, and figuring out how to travel back and forth to the hospital to be with their sick child. We wanted to make a meaningful difference in those moments. We did not see an organization addressing those larger, urgent expenses, and we recognized a significant gap in support.
That need continues today. We receive applications every month that tell heartbreaking stories of financial hardship. To our knowledge, there is no other needs based pediatric nonprofit grant system in the DFW area providing this level of support, and we are proud to help fill that gap. Our grants typically range from $1,500 to $3,500, depending on the bills families need help paying.
What was your favorite childhood memory?
Family Vacations
Contact Info:
- Website: https://livelikelukeoftexas.org
- Instagram: livelikeluke_aumc
- Facebook: Live Like Luke
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/livelikelukeoftexas
