Dedicated to Helping Young New York City Musicians Beat Cancer
John Young begin_of_the_skype_highlighting end_of_the_skype_highlighting, a professional tenor singing in New York City, has been diagnosed with stage three nasopharyngeal carcinoma — a fairly rare form of throat cancer. John has no health insurance and does not qualify for Medicaid. The tumor is large, 3.7cm, and is right behind the mask (sinuses) and goes down the back of the throat. So far it's not actually IN his throat, affecting breathing or swallowing. The tumor, being so large, is pushing on a clump of nerves that has the right side of his face numb from the bottom eyelid to the upper lip, into his teeth and half of the roof of the mouth and soft pallet. The tumor is inoperable.
John is currently facing seven weeks of radiation therapy, interspersed with three sessions of chemotherapy. He will be unable to work during this time period. The fight will be tough, but the oncologist is very optimistic that John will beat this cancer, and return to his singing career. The only roadblock is: How to pay for treatments?
The non-profit organization Young Fighting Cancer Inc has been formed by several of his friends for the purpose of raising funds to help John, as well as other musicians in NYC without health insurance, in the fight against cancer. The stated goal of Young Fighting Cancer Inc. is to provide charitable assistance, financial aid and/or physical assistance to young classical musicians in the New York City area who: are fighting cancer; have no health insurance; are in demonstrable financial need; are too young or earned too much money to qualify for government assistance programs such as Medicaid or Medicare; and/or also require assistance with daily living tasks during medical treatment. Many classical musicians performing in the New York City area are free-lance workers who have no health insurance.
A major disease, such as cancer, not only creates extreme financial burdens due to high health care treatment costs, but simultaneously deprives these performers of the ability to work and earn income during treatment and hospitalization periods. Donations will be raised via benefit concerts and other fundraising efforts including solicitations through social networking websites, e-mail, and the dedicated website for Young Fighting Cancer Inc. Money raised will be directly used to help defray hospital, doctor, medicinal and other medical expenses. Additionally, money raised may be used to help defray costs of rent, food and other basic living expenses. Volunteers, many of whom are also free-lance classical musicians, will be organized to help patients with transportation to/from treatment centers and hospitals, grocery shopping, food preparation, housekeeping, laundry and other daily living tasks.
We hope that with the help of John’s many colleagues and friends — and with the generous help of people he has never met — that we will enable John to get the treatment he needs.
For more information, please e-mail: doug@youngfightingcancer.com