Newswise — CHICAGO – November 12, 2024 – At six years old, Luke Bucciarelli (pronounced BOO-cha-relli) already knows he wants to be a surgeon when he grows up. But not just any surgeon – a thoracic surgeon; someone who operates on organs in the chest, including the lungs, esophagus, trachea and heart.
“I want to be a thoracic surgeon because we need lungs to breathe, and when the lungs get sick, I want to help make people feel better,” said Luke.
The kindergartner from Brentwood, Tenn., loves watching surgical videos on YouTube and when he stumbled across an “Inside the OR” video of Sam Kim, MD, a thoracic surgeon at Northwestern Medicine Canning Thoracic Institute, performing robotic lung cancer surgery, Luke couldn’t stop watching. In fact, Luke started performing “surgery” on a banana with surgical tools he borrowed from a retired surgeon and family friend, and was able to attend an educational event where he could test out a surgical robot. (Photos of the banana and surgical robot linked here.)
“The da Vinci® surgical robot that Dr. Kim uses for his cancer cases has different joystick levers, so it’s like watching a video game, which is very cool,” Luke said.
“We created that ‘Inside the OR’ video several years ago for our patients who have lung cancer, because many patients get scared and don’t know what’s going to happen inside the operating room,” explained Dr. Kim. “With the video, we’re able to demystify the process and make patients feel more comfortable before surgery.”
Dr. Kim Surprises His Biggest (Little) Fan
Wanting to thank Dr. Kim for inspiring her son to become a thoracic surgeon, Luke’s mom, Katherine Bucciarelli, called Northwestern Medicine and left a message – anticipating maybe an email response. To her shock, not only did Dr. Kim want to talk to Luke, but he had a very special surprise for him.
“Dr. Kim called Luke via FaceTime and took him virtually inside his operating room, letting Luke see the surgical robot up close and personal. Dr. Kim also told us that if we’re ever in Chicago, we need to stop by Northwestern Memorial Hospital and he would give us a personal tour,” said Katherine. “Dr. Kim went above and beyond. Luke still hasn’t stopped talking about it!”
“It was so neat to see Dr. Kim’s operating room, and now I know how to wash my hands for surgery – you have to scrub past the elbows!” said Luke.
“I don’t have a lot of fans who are six years old, but when I heard that a kindergartner from Tennessee was watching our robotic lung cancer surgery video and it inspired him to one day become a thoracic surgeon, I knew I wanted to do something special for him,” said Dr. Kim. “Many kids want to grow up to be rockstars or athletes, but working in health care is a very fulfilling, rewarding job that does good for a lot of people. I hope videos like this inspire even more kids out there and demonstrates that if you apply yourself and are dedicated to your work, someday you can join me inside the operating room.”
Thoracic Surgeons in Demand
As the population grows and ages, demand for cardiothoracic surgeons is expected to increase. By 2035, the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) projects 900 cardiothoracic surgeons will retire while demand for surgeries will increase by 20 percent, resulting in a 31 percent shortfall of surgeons within the specialty, which is the largest projected shortfall of any physician specialty.
“The demand for cardiothoracic surgeons is why it’s so important to inspire and invest in the next generation – like Luke,” added Dr. Kim. “While we’ve made strides in treating lung cancer, the disease is still the most commonly diagnosed cancer, and we need more surgeons who are willing and wanting to help these patients.”
Lung Cancer Awareness Month
November marks Lung Cancer Awareness Month. Lung cancer is the third most common cancer in the United States, and cancers of the lung are the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the U.S. in both men and women with more people dying of lung cancer than colon, breast and prostate cancers combined.
While smoking is a major risk factor for developing lung cancer, it can also affect those who have never smoked. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), in the U.S., about 10 to 20 percent of lung cancers (20,000-40,000 cases) happen in people who have never smoked or smoked fewer than 100 cigarettes in their lifetime. Exposure to secondhand smoke, radon, air pollution, asbestos and having a family history of lung cancer are all contributing risk factors.
Symptoms of lung cancer can include:
- Frequent cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Coughing up blood
- Wheezing
- Feeling tired or not well all the time
Those at high risk for developing lung cancer should ask their primary care physician about scheduling a low-dose chest CT scan. For more information about lung cancer treatment options and scheduling a low-dose chest CT scan, visit nm.org.
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