Support Ricsha's Battle Against Ewing Sarcoma

Last spring, Ricsha started to notice a lump on her back and then, over time, lost mobility in her right leg. She eventually admitted herself to St. John’s in Springfield, IL. Doctors found four tumors around her spine and she underwent an eight-hour surgery to have them removed. Shortly after, she was diagnosed with Ewing Sarcoma. It is known for being a pediatric cancer and accounts for only 200-250 cases in the U.S. each year. It is estimated that of these 200-250 cases, less than 10% is in adults, translating to roughly 20-25 adult cases per year. Because it is so rare, Ricsha has seen doctors at both Mayo Clinic and Barnes Jewish in St. Louis to set a treatment plan.

Treatment will be aggressive, consisting of both chemotherapy and proton radiation therapy, and will last a year. She will require specialized treatment so her treatment will be completed at Barnes hospital in St. Louis, including some cycles where she will need to be admitted into the hospital on an inpatient basis. Ricsha’s treatment is aggressive, so she will not be able to work. In addition, this will bring about a lot of medical expenses and will require extensive travel to and from St. Louis, sometimes up to five days a week, along with other needs back home, such as childcare for her two young children. Her fiancé, Brandon, will also miss a lot of work in order to take her to and from treatment and help care for the children. If you are able to help Ricsha and her family during this time, it is very much appreciated. We would love to alleviate some of the burden she has on her right now, and get her back to health.