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Family, friends join hands to help beat rare disease
Friday, Oct. 23, 2009
 Click here to enlarge this photo Rickey Farrell
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For Rickey Farrell of Waldorf, life has not come easy.
Shortly after he was born, his parents realized something just wasn't right.
"He was always throwing up," said Sue Farrell, his mother.
After doctors evaluated his medical condition and studied the family's medical history, he was diagnosed at about 2 months with Hirschsprung's disease, she said.
Hirschsprung's is a rare disease that results from missing nerve cells in the muscles of a baby's colon.
Typically, doctors will remove the bad section. However, in Rickey's case, he didn't have any nerve cells. Doctors removed his entire large intestine.
In 1997, he lost part of his small intestine and what's left is now shutting down.
Rickey Farrell, 32, has spent his life in and out of hospitals and has undergone 14 major surgeries.
This year he has spent more than 150 days in the hospital and missed 100 days of work from his full-time job with the Department of Justice as an accounting analyst.
He travels to Georgetown University Hospital weekly for appointments and testing.
Doctors are currently deciding on the next plan of attack. The options include more surgery, an ileostomy and a feeding tube.
Should these options fail, he will be a candidate for an intestinal transplant.
In an effort to offset some of his medical costs, his family and friends are hosting a benefit for him on Saturday in White Plains.
"He misses a lot of work and with the different procedures, he would have to miss even more," Chrissy Spangler, his sister, said. "Most importantly, [we want] to show him that people are here for him and supporting him."
The event will feature a silent auction, live auction, bake sale, disc jockey and face painting for the kids. Admission is free, Spangler said.
"It should be a fun event, there's a lot of great items that will be in the silent auction" such as Redskins and Capitals memorabilia, tickets to Caps games, passes to Walt Disney World in Florida, themed baskets and gift cards, she said.
A lot of businesses have agreed to help, said Rick Farrell, his father. Some of the large supporters are Best Buy of Waldorf, Foster's Grill, Facchina Construction, Owens Ski & Sport, AMF Waldorf Lanes and Brewster's Ice Cream.
"Even though Rickey has lived with this horrible illness, he's still able to be successful," Spangler said.
When he was a kid, "he led a pretty normal life," Rick Farrell said. "He was a good kid … an extremely active kid."
"I mostly played soccer and bowling growing up and later started playing golf, roller hockey and scuba diving … as I got older," Rickey said.
He graduated from high school, received a bachelor's degree in accounting and a master's in accounting and financial management from University of Maryland University College.
One thing about Rickey Farrell, he "doesn't complain," his mother said.
"I never experienced life without this illness … To me, this was the hand I was dealt and I am determined to make the most out of it," he said.
How to help
A benefit for Rickey Farrell will be held from 1-5 p.m. Oct. 24 at the Waldorf Moose Lodge, 4765 Crain Highway, White Plains.
For more information or to make a donation, call Chrissy Spangler at 301-399-9285 or Rick and Sue Farrell at 301-932-3787.
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