How a brain cancer diagnosis inspired one alumnus to give back

Even before he officially enrolled, Jimmy Lu (BASc 2010, MASc 2013) knew that U of T Engineering was for him. 

“The summer before my first year, I attended a reception for students who had received an offer of admission, but not necessarily accepted it yet,” he says. 

“They had us doing all kinds of challenges, some of which were pretty silly. But they also required you to use math, science and creative thinking to solve problems, which is just what engineers do.” 

“I liked that mix of being able to have fun, but also to do real things — it just felt right.” 

Lu, who was born in Hong Kong but grew up in Toronto, quickly threw himself into all aspects of Skule™. One early highlight was during his second semester, when he won the Ultimate F!rosh competition, one of a series of Skule™ spirit events that take place during what is known as Godiva Week. 

Skule™ traditions

“One of the things about being named Ultimate F!rosh is that for the next year, any member of Skule™ can ask you to jump up and down, and you have to do it,” he says. 

“People would yell it across campus, or in the hallways. It got to the point where if I heard those words, I just assumed people were talking to me.” 

The experience did not tire him out; instead, Lu took on even more roles with the Engineering Society (EngSoc). By April of his first year, he was editing the F!rosh Handbook for incoming students. 

In his third year, he was named Mr. Blue and Gold, while his close friend Jenn Eversley (BASc 2010, MEng 2017) was named Lady Godiva. Together, these two characters led many of the spirit activities that take place during F!rosh Week and throughout the year. 

Lu went on to serve as the EngSoc’s vice president of student life. In his final year, he was elected president of EngSoc, and helped organize the 2010 Canadian Engineering Competitions. 

After finishing his undergraduate degree, Lu went on to complete a master’s under the supervision of Professor Bryan Karney. It was during this time that he met his life partner, Lisa Ye, a fellow U of T student in the Faculty of Nursing. They have now been together for 14 years. 

From there, Lu moved into a series of roles that leveraged his passion for fighting climate change, including positions at The Atmospheric Fund, an environmental NGO, and at Ontario’s Independent Electricity System Operator.  

An unexpected diagnosis

But in 2023, Lu faced a challenge unlike any he had ever dealt with before. After months of unusual symptoms, he was diagnosed in July with glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. 

“There was about a week between my diagnosis and the surgery to remove the tumour,” he says. 

“During that week, all I thought about were my favourite memories, and many were from U of T Engineering. They involved the friends I made there and experiences I had. It felt like I had lived a very rich life.” 

Lu says he received an overwhelming amount of support: from his partner, his family, his friends, and coworkers.  

His friends from U of T Engineering — led by Eversley — rallied to support him after the operation during his recovery and additional treatments. The care and strength he received from being part of the Skule™ community moved him deeply. 

During his treatment, Lu was also struck by the degree to which the tools being used, from MRI machines to surgical devices, were all created and refined by engineers.  

Giving back

By the end of the summer, he had made up his mind to find a way to give back to the U of T Engineering community. 

“When I got the call from Jimmy, I remember feeling shocked and saddened that someone so young must face something so difficult,” says Sonia De Buglio (BASc 1994, MASc 1998) Director, Alumni Relations at U of T Engineering. 

“At the same time, I felt very touched that in his moment of difficulty, he should be thinking about how he can give back and do something meaningful.” 

The call kicked off a series of discussions between Lu and the U of T Engineering Advancement team, which eventually led to the creation of what is now called the Jimmy Lu Jump Up and Down for Skule™ Award. 

This new endowed award will benefit students in perpetuity and will be presented annually to recognize the work of EngSoc vice-presidents who embody Skule™ spirit. 

“Other than the president, who receives a small stipend, all of the student leaders from EngSoc and the other clubs and teams are volunteers,” says Lu. 

“I wanted to find a way to recognize the value of that work, and the ripple effects it continues to have long after graduation.” 

Classmates joining together

Lu’s classmates, along with several former Engineering Society Presidents and VPs, have already contributed tens of thousands of dollars to the new award. In December, Lu himself offered to match donations, helping the endowment exceed $50,000.