Bills for Huntley baby with brain cancer top $1 million
Matthew Erickson is a snugly baby — laid back, easygoing. He never cries. His mom calls him the easiest baby in the whole world.
Except he was born with a tumor in his brain and the most aggressive form of brain cancer there is.
Sue Erickson, of Huntley, gave birth to her son Dec. 11 and found out four days later the fluid doctors noticed on his brain in an ultrasound two weeks before was only the start of Matthew’s problems. Brain surgery allowed the doctors to take out most, but not all, of the tumor. A second surgery on Feb. 14 took out a little more.
Matthew is set to start chemotherapy next week with the hope that the treatment will shrink the remaining tumor so doctors can remove the rest of it. In the meantime, friends and relatives are organizing fundraising events to help the Ericksons pay for hospital bills that have already topped the $1 million mark.
Fifteen percent of dine-in or takeout purchases between 11 a.m. and 10 p.m. Thursday, March 1, at Nick’s Pizza and Pub, 990 S. Randall Road, Elgin, will go to the Erickson family. T-shirts and wristbands will be for sale by South Elgin High School students, and extra donations also will be accepted at Nick’s.For proceeds to go to the fundraiser, people have to bring in a flyer available on the wall of the Matthew Donald Erickson Facebook page.Heidi Berna, a friend and co-worker of Erickson#146;s, is organizing the fundraiser at Nick#146;s. She said the support from the community has been amazing and a bright light in the whole situation.#147;You just absolutely have to focus on the positive because it#146;s too easy to become a wreck,#148; Berna said. Sue Erickson said her family never would have guessed so much good could come from her son#146;s journey. She has received notes from people across the country and support from around the world through Facebook. For Erickson, staying hopeful is critical. She and her husband, Ben, who works at the Beacon Academy in South Elgin High School, were told they could take Matthew home with hospice care or pursue more aggressive treatment right after he was born. Looking at their son #8212; who seemed like a perfectly healthy baby besides the tumor #8212; they didn#146;t think twice.#147;He fought at 4 days old to make it through brain surgery,#148; Erickson said. #147;It wasn#146;t even an option for us. We knew we had to fight for him.#148; If Matthew responds well to chemo, his parents hope doctors can remove the rest of the tumor and leave him cancer-free for a normal life. So few babies are born with the same cancer #8212; about 5 a year nationwide #8212; that doctors can#146;t accurately predict his chances. But Erickson said she and her husband don#146;t want to know the statistics anyway.#147;God is much bigger than this cancer,#148; Erickson said. #147;There#146;s no number and no book that is going to tell me how Matthew is going to get through this or not. We look at him every day and we see how strong he is and that is enough for us to keep fighting for him every single day.#148;