WICKER PARK — The co-owner of a comic book store that moved to a new storefront in Wicker Park's iconic Flat Iron Building and survived the closures of its competitors is facing a personal battle of his own.

Since Sean Akins' Give Forward crowd-sourcing campaign, titled "Kick the Heck out of Mystery Lump Fund," launched in July, 44 supporters have kicked in $3,673 toward an $8,000 goal.

Earlier this month, Akins was diagnosed with lyposarcoma, a rare soft tissue cancer.

"It's been all over the place, from strangers to people who shop here, friends of friends, lots of names that I don't recognize, a few anonymous. I'm really grateful," said Akins, co-owner of Brainstorm Comics and Games, a small store that started 12 years ago and moved from North Avenue to a studio at 1579 N. Milwaukee Ave in 2013.

Akins, 37, who also lives in Wicker Park, said he initially thought the "mystery lump" on the back of his thigh was an insect bite except it quickly grew and quadrupled in size over a matter of months.

"My fight is just starting," Akins wrote on Aug. 18.

Akins, who has health insurance, is being treated at Northwestern Memorial Hospital and will begin 25 weeks of chemotherapy next week.

Akins said the $8,000 goal was based on the fact he has paid $1,500 so far toward a $3,000 deductible.

"I just got another bill for $2,000," he said. That bill was for the cost of a CT scan, blood panel and radiation consultation, an amount Akins said was determined after his private insurance kicked in its portion.

Akins, who is the sole worker at Brainstorm — owned by himself along with three other investors — has a solid base of about 100 to 120 regulars. The comic book store is a member of the Wicker Park Bucktown Chamber of Commerce.

"If you have the inclination, feel free to give. Sean's fight is just starting," the chamber tweeted on Monday.

Recently Akins contributed to another crowd-sourcing campaign and kept a stack of fliers in his shop to help out Geek Bar Beta, a neighboring business at 1941 W. North Ave. Geek Bar Beta is also inside the massive Flat Iron Building that anchors the southeast corner of Milwaukee and North avenues.

For more info on Akins' journey, visit his fundraising page.

A sign at Brainstorm Comics and some Star Wars books for sale [Brainstorm Comics/Facebook]

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