Concert to raise funds for boy’s cancer treatments
A young rising Johnson City musician will perform this week at a fundraiser for a young boy fighting cancer.
Lynnae Moon will be in concert at the Barrel House in Jonesborough Wednesday, 6-8 p.m., in an effort to raise money for Cash Hicks and his family to help cover medical and other associated costs while he receives additional cancer treatments.
As Cash approaches his 7th birthday, he’s still battling the Stage 4 High Risk Neuroloblastoma doctors found when he was 2 years old. Upon the diagnosis on July 3, 2016, Cash and his mother were flown from Niswonger Children’s Hospital to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis the next day.
Treatments
For the 10 months Cash underwent treatment, his parents were with him while his two brothers lived with relatives. He endured 12 rounds of chemotherapy, 36 radiation treatments, a tumor resection, bone marrow transplant and multiple other therapies over the course of 18 months. Cash responded well to the treatment and presented stable scans — with minimal disease showing — for three years, but never reached full remission.
Relapse
On April 12, Cash’s parents received the devastating news during a regular follow-up appointments. Cash had signs of disease progression and was deemed in relapse.
His new treatment protocol will again be at St. Jude in Memphis where he will undergo at least nine months of treatment. This will require his family to travel back and forth for appointments and treatment on a monthly basis.
Other troubles
In addition to Cash’s medical issues, his father lost his job in the January fire at Hexpol Compoun-ding in Jonesborough and is now a full time stay-at-home dad due to Cash’s medical needs. While St. Jude continues to provide housing and funds for travel, any funds raised will be used to help the Hicks family pay bills such as mortgage, utilities and insurance and provide other support for Cash and his two brothers, Andy and Jackson.
“We are so appreciative of all our friends, family and community who continue to send their love, support and prayers for Cash and our family,” his mother, Katie Hicks, said. “When my husband lost his job in January… we fully intended for him to go back to work quickly, but Cash relapsed and everything fell apart again.”
The family decided Cash’s dad would stay home and the family “believed that the Lord would provide for our family just as He has in all of our other hard times,” Katie Hicks said.
“Having this support means that we can continue to provide the best care for Cash and completely focus on him and his brothers. It means time together that we would not have without this support. We are endlessly grateful.”
How you can help
Wednesday’s fundraiser will be a concert by 10-year-old Lynnae Moon, who plays ukulele and sings alongside her father, Tony Hensley, who sings backup and plays guitar.
In addition to the fundraiser on Wednesday in Jonesborough, there is a “RAISING CASH 4 CASH TO FIGHT CANCER 4 CASH HICKS” GoFundMe account.
Source: Johnson City Press By Becky Campbell