NewsRadio Savannah and our sponsors The Dewitt Tilton Group and Express Employment introduces you to the Barrett family and their Ronald McDonald House Of The Coastal Empire experience:
Nick was 12 years old when he began feeling sick one day. We picked him up from school, and he came home to rest. Little did we know that what we thought was a typical stomach bug would uproot our reality and become so much more. He became extremely ill in the months to come.
After numerous ER and doctors’ visits, we found the cause. An MRI of his brain showed that Nick had a tumor on his brainstem which blocked the flow of his spinal fluid and was causing severe hydrocephalus. After a ten-hour brain surgery and weeks of waiting, histology showed his tumor to be Anaplastic Ependymoma Grade 3, a rare form of cancer which attacks the spinal fluid. Nick received 33 radiation treatments to his brain stem, and was healing and feeling better for a few years.
Sadly, this year, the day before his 17th birthday, we received the dreadful news that his cancer had spread into his spine. Nick underwent back surgery and the recovery process to find out his cancer had spread to a second location in his spine. Like the trooper he is, Nick endured another surgery (2 spinal surgeries in 2 months’ time!) He has recently completed another 33 rounds of radiation treatments to his whole brain and spine.
None of this has been easy for Nick, He is a 17-year-old with cancer and aware of what is going on. It's hard enough being a teenager, let alone throwing cancer into the mix, yet he still maintains his smile. From the first surgery and treatment when Nick was younger to this year the Ronald McDonald House has helped our family. We are grateful for the warm meals, a place to rest our heads, the ability to do laundry at any time of day, and being able to stay together as a family next to the hospital. They have been a blessing to our family!
How to help:
⏰ Accepting monetary donations between Now - December 16th, 2024
📍 Please deliver all cash, check, and gift card donations directly to iHeartMedia Savannah, 245 Alfred Street Savannah, GA 31408
💳Forms of donations accepted:
- Click here to make an online donation to the RMH. Add "Shop With A Cop" in memo.
- Checks made out to Ronald McDonald House with "Shop With A Cop" in memo.
- Visa, Master Card, AmEx or Target cards.
- Cash
Sponsored by The Dewitt Tilton Group and Express Employment!