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Brother Billy's Brain

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Please help my brother Billy through two brain surgeries. 

What’s Going On With Billy


Over the past 6 months, Billy started getting these very strong, intense headaches.  The headaches began to come on more regularly, affecting his ability to work, sleep and function. On October 22nd, 2018, Billy went to the Emergency Room reporting that he was having the worst headache he has ever had in his life. The doctors discovered that Billy has a brain tumor.

Billy has what is called a prolactinoma tumor. 9 out of 10 of these tumors are non-cancerous and according to the MRI’s and CT Scans, the doctors believe that Billy’s tumor is benign. The tumor is 4cm by 5cm by 3.5cm in size. It’s located on the pituitary gland, the main gland in the brain that regulates hormones and growth. The tumor has been growing and is pushing against Billy’s ocular nerve, crushing, moving and pushing past the soft bone cavity that protects the gland, and is now wrapping around his carotid artery and going into different parts of his brain. Without immediate surgery, the tumor will make Billy go blind and can cause death.

Treating Billy’s Brain Tumor


Because of the tumors size and rapid growth, Billy needs 2 brain surgeries and Cyberknife Radiation to fully remove the tumor. The first surgery is scheduled for January 31st at 5:30am at Renown Hospital in Reno, NV. During the first surgery, neurosurgeons will be going through the nose, making the first cut to get into the brain to remove the lower portion of the tumor. Billy will be in the hospital for 4 days and the recovery period of the first surgery is expected to be at least a month.

In between the surgeries, after the lower portion of the tumor has been removed, the remaining upper portion of the tumor is expected to “drop”. This will allow the surgeons easier access to remove the remaining portion of the tumor, without interference from the surrounding bone cavity.

The second surgery will be scheduled pending Billy’s recovery process following the first surgery. The recovery period after the second surgery is assumed to be similar to the first surgery, 4 days in the hospital, with a recovery period of at least a month. The Cyberknife Radiation treatment will follow after his second surgery.

The total time of hospital days and recovery time off work is expected to be a minimum of two and half months (10 weeks), according to what the doctors are telling us now.This is a case where we all are taking what to expect day by day, moment by moment, appointment by appointment.




Billy’s Story

                                         “Billy is one of the funniest and strongest men I know,
                                                      more than myself.” - Bill Ross, (Billy’s Dad)

Currently living in Reno, Nevada, Billy is known as “The Meat Guy”. He owns a small business named ‘Good Eats,’ a mobile grocer of choice meats. He has a passion for ping pong and anything with a motor that goes fast. He loves music, cooking, animals, and spending time with family and friends. He’s the type of person that can get along with everyone. Billy has been known to be generous and helpful to those in need in his community. Billy says he strives to have his Dad’s work ethic and his Mom’s ability to love with true compassion.

William Wallace Ross the Fifth, a.k.a. Billy, was born on August 14th, 1984 in Lake County, Illinois. At a young age he was a boy scout. As a boy scout, Billy was voted by his peers and was inducted into the Order of the Arrow, which is an achievement bestowed upon outstanding scouts.  He then had the high honor of becoming an Eagle Scout. For Billy’s Eagle Scout Service Project, he organized and lead a group of 25+ volunteers, to restore benches and picnic tables around the Tower Lakes Subdivision in Illinois. Becoming an Eagle Scout is the highest achievement: only 4% of Boy Scouts earn this rank.

Billy’s parents, Sally and Bill, and his sister Jenny, are most proud of him for overcoming his life’s adversities and addiction. He has been in recovery for 9+ years, and has found God along the way. His dad describes Billy as “One of the funniest and strongest [in mind, body and soul] men I know, more than myself.” Jenny says, “Billy is a warrior and is equally the biggest sweetheart I know. His desire to live a healthy, happy life filled with gratitude inspires me.”

                                   “Billy is a warrior and is equally the biggest sweetheart I know.”
                                                                      - Jenny Ross, (Billy’s Sister)

Why Billy Needs Help

Billy needs help financially to support him in his full recovery from the brain tumor. Billy is a hard worker and lives paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes, for people in Billy’s situation, their biggest fear is getting sick, because not being able to work  means not being able to pay the monthly rent. This is the case for Billy.

Fortunately, Billy’s insurance is covering his first surgery.  We currently don’t know if the total costs of the second surgery and radiation will be covered by insurance.  We have not included treatment costs in our fundraising goal. We are praying that the entire treatment plan for Billy’s brain tumor will be covered in full by insurance.

Billy needs money to provide for basic living necessities while recovering from multiple brain surgeries and radiation thus not being able to work.

Here is a cost breakdown of how the money raised will be spent. The itemized list is for a 3 month timeframe while he’s in the hospital and recovering.

Rent: $ 2,550
Utilities: $ 1170
Food: $ 1935
Wellness: $600  (Vitamins, Supplements, Prescriptions, etc.)
Business Costs: $259.75

Total: $6,514.75

Something for Billy to Look Forward To

Anyone who survives a brain tumor should be sent on a celebratory vacation...Right?!

Billy hasn’t been on a vacation in literally 20 years. The last trip he took was with our immediate family at the age of 14. Billy wants to go deep-sea fishing and snorkeling in Maui.  He has never been there before and it is a big deal to hear Billy talking about something special he desires for himself.

Studies show that when a person has something to look forward to, regularly visualizes themselves healthy and fully recovered, and has a supportive network, the probability of a healthy recovery increases substantially.

Let’s create a Hawaiian happy place for Billy to support him with his healing process and send him on a celebratory vacation once he is all healed and well.  This is something for Billy to look forward to, something he can be dreaming about. In addition to your donation, you can help Billy manifest a positive outcome by visualizing him healthy and fully recovered in Hawaii.

He really deserves this and without our help, probably wouldn’t make this happen for himself. As his sister, with everything that Billy has gone through, especially the life changing diagnosis of a brain tumor, I truly believe that my brother Billy genuinely needs something big to look forward to.

The remaining $3,485.25 of the fundraising goal will go towards an all expense paid trip to Hawaii for Billy.

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

We would love to express our deepest gratitude and appreciation towards you. Thank you for any help that you are able to give. Even a dollar makes a big difference.

Your contribution is doing more than helping Billy financially. You are supporting him on a deeper level, providing him with the nourishment of love and care from his family, friends, and community. Miracles happen when we come together. Thank you for being a part of Billy’s miracle.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.
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Donations 

  • FUNDRAISER AND RAFFLE
    • $3,773 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
  • Davis Clay
    • $50 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
  • Christina Gibson
    • $100 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
  • Anonymous
    • $60 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
  • Kathleen and John Boyle
    • $200 (Offline)
    • 5 yrs
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Organiser

Jenny Ross
Organiser
Reno, NV

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