NEW RICHMOND, Ohio — A young Bengals superfan from New Richmond is trying a new playbook to change the outcome of a childhood condition, but the financial cost is going to be large. Now his family is asking for help.
River Blank, whose fandom was awarded with a trip to the Super Bowl, will live in Lexington and then New York for 12 to 15 weeks this summer and fall as he is treated for infantile scoliosis. His family says he needs treatment that could save his life.
"Hopefully this will be the last surgery. We've learned to never say never but hopefully at least until adulthood, this will be his last," said dad Travis Blank.
The fifth grader at Monroe Elementary has already had more than 40 casts and five major surgeries to treat the curvature of his spine, but they have not relieved the issue. Now, his family says his spine is nearly crushing his heart and lungs. His dad said his right lung is operating at eight percent capacity.
"His condition is life-threatening so if he doesn't have this surgery there's a good chance, a really good chance his spine could actually break," Travis said.
While in Lexington, River will receive Halo traction. One parent will stay with him, while the other remains in New Richmond caring for their other three children. Then, he'll go for another surgery with a renowned doctor in New York.
The family has started a GoFundMe page to help cover some of that cost, including car maintenance. They are also trying to get a room at the Ronald McDonald House in Lexington so they can stay with River as much as possible.
"I don't even know where to begin," Travis said. "The thing that gets us with him is he's happy, he's always smiling. It's hard to, You don't think about bad stuff because he's always happy and that makes it a lot easier."
And River is already looking forward to what he'll do once he recovers.
"My biggest goal is probably getting taller," he said. "Baseball's like my second biggest goal, then watching sports is like my third."
As of Thursday, the GoFundMe has raised about $10,300 of its $25,000 goal.
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