Johnny Losurdo ‘18 walked into the dance studio of Lake Forest College’s Sports and Recreation Center for a dance team practice and was greeted by a symphony of “Hey, Johnny!” It was clear from that moment that he was a prominent student on campus.
He danced with the confidence of someone with a serious passion for performance, and he greeted fellow team members with a touch on the shoulder. His greeting served as a definite indicator of compassion: a compassion that motivates him through his difficult major, his charitable work, and his involvement on campus and in the community.
Johnny is a man of big dreams. He is currently studying biology in preparation for medical school so that he can someday achieve his dream of becoming a pediatric oncologist. These dreams, no matter how large, are not daunting to him. Johnny has faced plenty of adversities in his life.
“I was diagnosed with stage four neuroblastoma at four months old, was given less than two percent survival, had two years of chemo and too many surgeries to count, blood transfusions and all that stuff, but I’m here,” he said.
Now, at the age of 21, Johnny has been cancer free for roughly 16 years. In that time, he has committed his life to helping others in any way he can. “Since I’m here, I feel that I should do everything in my power to show I’m thankful for what I have been given,” he said.
Johnny’s passion in life clearly lies with helping others. While his passion certainly stems from the hardships he’s faced at a young age, you wouldn’t know it because Johnny’s attitude is so positive. According to his Lambda brother Michael “Miko” Delacruz ‘18, Johnny is “a man who grew up facing adversity from a young age but [who’s] still able to maintain a smile on his face and care for other people more than himself.”
Wearing his Lambda Chi Alpha jacket, Johnny listed off his involvement on campus and with charities. To many, his level of commitment would seem shocking, but to Johnny it is second nature. In addition to his fraternity, he is involved with the dance team, Relay for Life, and League of Legends. Outside of campus, he works with The Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation, Gilda’s Club Chicago, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, American Cancer Society, and The THANC (Thyroid, Head and Neck Cancer) Foundation.
Apart from campus and community involvement, he also helps others through his music. Smiling broadly, Losurdo explains that he has created four songs that are on iTunes under the artist name “Johnny L.” Three are on the album Different Color, Same Vision. The title is an allusion to his eyes, which were affected by treatment at a young age. His vision of using music to help others is evident because all of the proceeds are donated to The Children’s Neuroblastoma Cancer Foundation.
Whether he is writing songs, dancing in the studio, studying in the library, or analyzing results in a lab, he is always ready to have a friendly conversation. He is dedicated to making a difference on this campus, and his friendliness is just one of the ways he does so. “I want to see people be happy,” Losurdo said when describing his life goals. “I want to be remembered for helping people.” It’s clear that Johnny is well on his way to fulfilling these goals.
