WAUKESHA, Wis. — In just the last few weeks, a Waukesha North senior went from hanging out with his friends to living at Children’s Hospital as he battles cancer.
Connor Wilkum has been at Children’s Wisconsin for three weeks after he was rushed there on Jan. 27 following a seizure in the middle of the school day.
“I just keep thinking it is not real. That he is just going to get up and walk out of here,” said his mom, Karrie Wilkum.
She says that between her, her husband, and his grandparents, they have not left Connor’s hospital bed in 22 days.
Around Thanksgiving, Connor, a 17-year-old football player at Waukesha North, started having bad headaches and feeling sick on and off.
“He had been to the doctor, and he had been throwing up in the morning,” said Karrie.
The doctors did an MRI and found nothing suspicious. The diagnosis was migraines.
Watch: Waukesha family helping Waukesha football player battle cancer
But three weeks ago, Connor had a seizure, and another round of tests found a tumor. Overnight, the family became an expert in brain cancer.
“It is called medulloblastoma,” said Steve Wilkum, Connor’s dad.
“It is the most common type of pediatric brain cancer,” finished Karrie.
“It is very aggressive,” said Steve.
“She almost thinks it was starting to go down his spine. She did see a couple spots,” said Karrie. “I’m just still waiting for someone to tell me that he is going to be okay. Every time we think it is, something else happens.”
And while Connor's mom and dad deal with the medical side of Connor’s treatment, his brother and sister are bringing in the emotional support.
“I’m like, ‘He’s got cancer.’ And she said, ‘What do you want to do?’ ‘I’m going to shave it,’” said Ali Krueger, Connor’s older sister, on how she told her hairstylist to shave off her long blonde hair. “I shaved it, and I’m like, here we go.”
“Just something to show our support for Connor,” said Cooper, Connor’s younger brother and a sophomore at Waukesha North.
Now going on day 22 in the hospital, the family says Connor continues to meet each challenge with a positive attitude. He needs to get better in order to go home and start the next phase of treatment, which includes first radiation and then chemotherapy. In between those treatments, the goal is to have Connor go to prom and graduation.
His family says they get their strength from the Waukesha community. That includes Connor's friends, who stood outside Children’s Hospital last week in the snow with a banner for Connor to see, and even the strangers who reach out as well.
“People we don't know who read his story. It is just so heartwarming. How do you say thank you to all these people? I don't know,” said Karrie.
There will be a food truck fundraiser for Connor tomorrow in the parking lot of Waukesha North High School from 11 a.m.-7 p.m.
There is also a Gofundme page for Connor’s family here.
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