A Better Bladder for Charles Butera

This is for Charles Butera. He is one of my dearest friends and one of the best people that have ever lived on the planet. I call him Booteria. It's the nickname I gave him when we were serving in the Army together 20 years ago. He was an amazing soldier and he's been an amazing friend since the moment we met and nobody has ever made me laugh so hard in my life. He lights up the room with his beautiful smile, infectious laugh, and his ability to make you feel like the most important person alive when he's talking with you. Now, my Booteria has cancer. It sucks. He's been a trooper, but he's in desperate need of help, and I know he won't ask. He needs a surgery on his bladder this Friday. This is critical, as the cancer has now metastasized to 4 spots. He will die without it. The VA said they would only pay for a percentage of it. He took out a bank loan for most of the difference. However, he's $1500.00 shy. He asked the VA if he could make payment arrangements on the $1500.00. They told him no. They would not pay their part until he paid his first. Not a cent. They told him to cancel his surgery. We are obviously devastated that his life is in limbo over $1500.00. I've never done anything like this before. But I'm coming to you all to see if you can help him. I don't know what else to do, except put it in God's hands and call upon humanity to ask for the help we so desperately need. The world would be a much sadder and darker place without Booteria in it. And the world just has enough heartbreak in it already. Please, if there's anything you can give, we will eternally be grateful. Thank you so much for reading this and thinking of my friend.