Ricky Palmer

“One day you’re going to tell your story of how you’ve overcome what you’re going through, and it’s going to be someone else’s guide to survival” 

At the end of November 2019, Ricky began to have an onset of unusual symptoms that left him feeling not himself. After an obscene amount of doctors visits, opinions, MRIs, scans, specialists, bloodwork, and tests, he suffered a seizure on February 4th. He was taken to Palos hospital and then transferred to his team at Northwestern Hospital that evening. On February 6th, he underwent a craniotomy that confirmed there was a tumor on the right frontal lobe of Ricky’s brain. He was diagnosed with brain cancer on February 20, 2020.  Our world was flipped upside down and our heads haven’t stopped spinning since. Following his week stay at Northwestern Hospital, he moved over to the Shirley Ryan Rehabilitation Facility where he completed 18 days of therapy around the clock before being discharged. 

Ricky just finished his first round of treatment that included six weeks of chemotherapy (everyday) and radiation (5 days/week). He has one month off before he starts his next treatment which will include a Tumor Treating Fields system. The cost of the TTF system is $21,000/month. For the last month and foreseeable future, Ricky receives additional infusions every other week to help try and control the side effects of radiation to the brain and once the stay-at-home order has been lifted, he will again begin his physical, occupational and speech therapies. 

There have been so many people who have reached out and asked how they can help us, specifically in a financial way. Therefore, we have made this page for people to have a place to help. Ricky is unable to work while battling his cancer, leaving him with no source of income. The money raised will be used to pay his medical and living expenses. We know that these times could be difficult for many people with the state our world is in and we are in awe of how many people have already reached out with the thought of our family in mind. No one can ever prepare you for this journey and it’s one we wouldn’t wish upon anyone.  We love all of you and any support is deeply appreciated and extremely helpful. Thank you to all who have been fighting this battle with us so far - the texts, calls, videos, cards, meals, gifts, check-ins - your support means the world to Ricky and our family. ❤️

“The comeback is always greater than the setback”