Rally for Ripplen to Beat Pediatric Neuroblastoma

UPDATE as of 3/13: Ripplen is in the PICU. Please see the full update below.

UPDATE as of Feburary: Ripplen's tumor has been removed and is now going into a bone marrow transplant for a minimum of 4 weeks. He will also receive high doses of chemo and a stem cell rescue. This transplant is very hard on kids, but it’s the best chance they have of saving Ripplen's life and making sure the cancer never relapses. Neuroblastoma has a 50% relapse rate. Please continue to support Ripplen's parents as they support him during his hospital stay.

Hi! My name is Stephanie Willmore and I'm a friend of the Niemann family. Daniel and Jori are Ripplen's parents. They are going through some extreme hardship with one of their children and could use some support from friends, family, and the community.

Their family story: The Niemann's have five children, and four are affected by genetic disorders and genetic anomalies. These conditions have caused disabilities and medical complexities. Their parents are their best advocates and are highly self-sufficient. However, in September one of their children was diagnosed with an aggressive pediatric cancer. The Niemann's need extra support with exorbitant travel costs, food costs, and extraneous needs as they help Ripplen get treatment.

Ripplen's story: Ripplen is four years old, and he is the 4th out of 5 kids. Like two of his siblings, he is medically complex with two underlying genetic disorders. He is so sweet and loving and is always saying, "Hi!" to friends.

On September 19th, he was in a lot of pain and couldn't walk. He was rushed to the ER and after some diagnostics, his care team found a large tumor in his abdomen. He was diagnosed with pediatric neuroblastoma, which is an extremely dangerous cancer. The good news is that so far his treatment is working, and with continuing intervention and surgeries he can beat it.

Ripplen will need at least 18 months of treatments going forward. This will involve travel to and from the hospital (an hour away from their home) for the entirety of treatment and a specialized surgery because Ripp’s tumors having severe spinal cord involvement. Ripplen will spend several days at the hospital each month for each dose of chemo. He also will require several weeks of recovery, and Daniel and Jori will need to focus on his care full-time. The Niemanns have befriended other families who have endured this pediatric cancer, and they said travel and food costs total at least $15,000 out-of-pocket.

One more note: Daniel and Jori are givers, and it's hard for them to be in the position to ask for help. I personally met Jori as she was supporting me in my journey to get disability resources for my own children. They are so friendly and are always looking to help others, especially families who have kids with disabilities. Jori is a former NICU charge nurse and has a wealth of knowledge. Daniel is an incredible partner and parent who also works full-time to support his family. They are so deserving of help during this very difficult time.

Any amount you can donate is helpful!

You can also follow Ripplen's cancer journey on Instagram: @rally_for_ripp

Thank you so much!! Let's rally for Ripp and support this amazing family!!