In Loving Memory of Ricky Love

I’ve taken a stand against blood cancer.

Love Hair The Salon have created this page in loving memory of Carly & Caitlin’s brother - to raise vital funds to help provide the special care that is needed to get families through a blood cancer diagnosis as well as to help fund more game-changing research into this disease. 

The money we raise will help provide care for those in need right now — and it will back the brightest researchers to continue uncovering faster diagnoses and better treatments to save lives. 

For the month of October, $5 from every purchase in salon will go towards this fundraising campaign. 

If you would like to donate further, thank you so much for your support. 

Ricky’s story -

I would like to share a long but also small snippet of Ricky’s story, so that it is known and honoured of how much of a strong warrior he was throughout his diagnosis of cancer. 

On the 24th of November 2021, Ricky aged 30 at the time was diagnosed with primary liver cancer & large germ cell cancer - 2 completely unrelated cancers that had all the doctors scratching their heads as this was generally unheard of especially someone so young. 

Before his diagnosis, Ricky was strong, fit, healthy, loved the gym and was full of life. 

He began long hours of intense chemotherapy and in March 2022 he went in for a big operation to remove the large germ cell cancer from his chest which was said to be the size of a small football. We were told the liver cancer was laying dormant and we felt a sense of onwards and upwards, Ricky was starting to talk about plans for his life getting back to health, travelling, proposing to his partner, getting back to the gym and back to work in his career as a train driver he had just started prior to his cancer diagnosis.

4 weeks later, Ricky took himself back to hospital as he could feel in his body something was not right. He was in excruciating pain at the hospital and the dreaded wait of around 2 weeks for the doctors to confirm Ricky had AML - Acute Myeloid Leukaemia which became present only since his operation 4 weeks prior. We were devastated at more heartbreaking news for him. 

The doctors had to carefully navigate what the next steps were for Ricky given his previous rare case of 2 cancers and not having any other case study in the world to go off with what direction to take.

This meant more intense chemotherapy for Ricky. In July, Ricky spent his 31st birthday with his family whilst hooked up to chemo, but he had a smile on his face because he was so happy to be with his family.

Ricky was an absolute warrior, despite what he was going through he was so strong, so positive and not a thought crossed his mind of losing this battle

Not long after, Ricky was taken back to hospital testing positive to COVID. He was testing positive for approx 8 weeks and he had to stay in hospital for this whole time. Ricky being strong and positive said “I’m going to be that guy that has cancer and beats COVID” well he sure was, he finally tested negative to COVID but then had the diagnosis with pneumonia. So more time in hospital for Ricky. 

On the 4th of October 2022, Ricky’s immediate family were told to meet down at the hospital for a family meeting as he had been taken to ICU overnight. 

We were told the leukaemia cells had spread to his spleen and liver and his liver had started to deteriorate overnight. Heartbreaking news again. Ricky was confused as to why his family were all there at once “I don’t know why you are all here, I’m going to be fine”

The doctors made the decision to sedate him so his body could be at rest for the moment as it was working overtime. We spent the whole night by his side, waiting until he was able to wake and we could talk to him again.

The morning of 5th of October, we were told his levels were continuing to drop and once they took the machines off, Ricky would not make it. We said our heavy goodbyes to Ricky holding his hand for the whole day. 

I always had in my mind that Ricky’s story was going to be a miracle story one day.  This is not the miracle story I had in mind that’s for sure - but in my eyes it was a miracle for someone to stay as strong and positive like he was and enduring what he did. 

Caitlin xx