Conor Rigan

Please help financially support the Rigan family with the cost of Conor’s medical care. They are going back to Boston Children's Hospital where Conor will undergo surgery to remove a recurring cancerous brain tumor (ependymoma) on Friday, May 17, 2024. This is Conor's fifth major brain surgery - just before his 5th birthday.

Sarah provides detailed and heartfelt updates on Conor's Caring Bridge page https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/conorrigan

Since he was only six months old, Conor has endured three major surgeries at the UofM Children’s Hospital and a fourth surgery this time last year at Boston Children's Hospital to remove cancerous tumors and cells on/near his brain and spine. His medical care has included chemotherapy, radiation therapy, and immunotherapy drugs. On top of the rising medical costs and frequent traveling (they've gone to Georgia monthly for the last year for Conor's medication), Patrick and Sarah have also had to battle a number of issues with health insurance. All while keeping everyday life as joyful as possible for Conor as well as his sisters, Tenley and Ella.

They are overwhelmed with gratitude for the outpouring of love they have received. Let's continue to shower them with support through prayers and financial aid as they continue the fight for their amazing son, Conor. We trust that God will provide another miracle and pray for Conor's body to be rid of this cancer for good!!

Sarah's most recent journal entry:

Heartbroken

Journal Entry by Sarah Rigan — May 9, 2024

It doesn't matter how hard I try to prepare myself for the worst case scenarios that can come with each scan, hearing the news that Conor's cancer is back is always completely gut wrenching. The spot that we've been watching for the last few months has declared itself as tumor. It's like we're back in another bad dream, only to wake up this morning and realize this is still our reality. It is hard to describe the complexity of my feelings right now. There are so many swirling around my head and heart and body. I can just feel the adrenaline of it all as my mind tries to make sense of everything. I am overwhelmed with immense sadness, fear and anger, yet every time I look at Conor, my heart swells with love and gratitude and that tiny spark of hope. But already, I am exhausted at the thought of what is to come. Decisions that need to be made. Risks that will have to be taken. I know that we can do this again. There is no other choice. But it doesn't mean that we want to.

So for today we might sit and sulk in that heartache that this awful disease brings. And come tomorrow, we will pull ourselves back up and fight with everything we've got.

Thank you for all of your prayers and love and support. I know that it will carry us through as it always has and we will come out on the other side of this long, dark tunnel.