Covid and Cancer Left Me Unable to Work
Donation protected
For a good part of my life I have had the good fortune, as a cinematographer, filmmaker and photographer, to make a living doing what I love and practicing my passion with like minded artists and technicians. But for the past eight months that pleasure and privilege was taken from me as I underwent treatment for cancer and dealt with the debilitating side effects. Throw in how COVID has affected not just me but so many of us and I have had either little opportunity or an inability to work over the last 2 years.
Most people are aware of the terrible effects cancer can have on people, but few seem to understand that the side effects of treatment can have a devastating and debilitating effect on a patients life not only during and immediately after treatment ends but also for the rest of their life.
In my case, both the cancer treatment and the post treatment side effects have limited my ability to work. So I find myself financially broken and soon unable to pay for rent, bills, auto fuel/maintenance, monthly expenses and caring for and feeding my dog. I humble myself in making this donation request but I am extremely grateful for any and all assistance.
ONGOING OBSTACLES
I am now at a point where I feel strong enough mentally and physically to pursue my passion again. I have started the process of contacting potential employers, offering my services to potential clients and practicing my craft at home so as to be prepared when the calls come. However, I realize this process is going to take upwards of six months before the work is steady and I am back at 100%. Presently, I still face the following obstacles towards finding consistent or full time work:
• My cancer treatment and rehab have taken place Albuquerque, NM, far from my home of twenty years, Brooklyn, NY, and I must contend with having very few contacts in the Albuquerque area
• Strength and stamina are still considerably less than they were pre-cancer treatment
• Significant lack of taste and saliva production decreases both my enjoyment of meals and increases eating time by about 2x or more
• Frequent on-going appointments for rehab, therapy and follow-up doctor visits / tests
• A recent diagnosis of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) may require hyperbolic chamber treatment (HBO) which would entail 5 daily treatments a week for anywhere from 3-4 weeks and require a daily round trip of 120 miles to/from Santa Fe, NM
• I am still considered immunocompromised. I am fully vaccinated and recently received my booster shot but still must exercise extreme caution and careful monitoring of my surroundings. Especially now with Omicron.
WHAT YOUR DONATION PAYS FOR
Without your kind donation I stand to lose my home and possessions, the ability to function in a way that would allow me to efficiently pursue work and the ability to properly care for and feed my dog Takoda. But your assistance does more than just help me to pay for the following items, it buys me time. Valuable time. A few extra months of time allows me to find work, ideally within the areas of my experience, but to also explore other viable methods of earning my own income and once again becoming self sufficient and being productive. Additionally, it provides me the time to finish my rehab and therapies and to heal completely. This is a list of the items your donations help pay for:
• Rent and internet service - mine is a small space, but I currently call it home and it has an easily accessible outdoors space for Takoda, especially when I am away from home (internet is built into my rent cost)
• Electricity - aside from internet I have no other utility costs and pay for no premium channels (other than the Criterion Channel, please don't let that be taken from me)
• Storage space - Most of what I own is in a storage facility roughly 1700 miles away. I stand to lose all those possessions, including family heirlooms, photographs and memories
• Feeding and caring for my dog Takoda, including medications and necessary visits to the veterinarian
• Fuel, maintenance and registration for my car
• Auto insurance
• Renters insurance
• Cell phone service
• Credit card payments
• Ongoing cost of prescriptions and over the counter medical supplies
• Non-food related groceries and supplies
* My food needs are mostly covered by SNAP benefits along with food banks. My health insurance has been renewed until late into 2022
DOING MY PART
These expenses add up to about $1700.00/month and your donation will help cover a part of those monthly expenses and help me get thru the next 6 months or so. For my part I am proceeding in the following ways to earn my own way and bring this hardship to an end as quickly as possible:
• Exploring other avenues of funding such as rental and utility assistance
• Have acquired both food and health insurance assistance (not included in the total monthly expenses)
• Contacting potential employers and clients directly
• Utilizing job listings specific to my industry as well as general listings in numerous search engines and job sites.
• Utilizing social media sites liked LinkedIn, industry specific job boards and listing on freelance specific websites that provide listings for clients to find freelance talent in a variety of fields
• Selling prints of my photography
• Taking a part-time day job
• Updating my website and creating new demo reels
• Exploring starting a YouTube channel and providing stock photography/videography as income sources (valuable pointers/suggestions in these areas are welcome and and gratefully acceptable)
You can additionally provide aid by either hiring me for a job directly or providing me with a lead to a job. My main areas of experience are cinematography, filmmaking and photography. As a thank you for your donation I will offer a discount on any products or services I might provide to you or leads that you generate. Examples of potential jobs/services:
• Cinematography (narrative, documentary, industrial and corporate films)
• Videography
• Promotional videos for small businesses, artists, web videos
• Still Photography for web sites (this could be people or objects, especially for commerce sites)
• Still Photography for personal use such as portraits
• Still Photography for sale (view currently available work via my website www.kennydixon.com
• Video Editing
INCENTIVES
Knowing the value of your donations I am offering the following incentives. As a token of my gratitude to everyone who donates, I will provide updates of both my medical condition and financial/work situation.
• For donations of $250.00 and above I will send you an 11x14 signed black & white photograph that is professionally matted, including backing board and is ready for framing. I currently have about 20 of them to choose from
• Donations of $500.00 can choose between an 11x14 signed black & white photograph that has been professionally framed with a wooden black frame, high quality non-glare glass and is completely sealed from the elements or a personalized copy of my hard cover book of photography "Perspectives and Reflections: Visions Borne of the Past
• Donations of $700 and above receive both the professionally framed black & white photograph and a personalized copy of my book of photography "Perspectives and Reflections: Visions Borne of the Past"
GRATITUDE TO THE EXTREME
I wish I could say that my gratefulness goes without saying, but it needs to be said loudly and as often as need be. If you try hard enough you will feel the energy of my extreme gratitude.
Your support will help me survive what I consider the most difficult time of my life, and I’ve had many close calls. Your generosity means that I can continue close to a normal life with a home, all my possessions and a well cared for companion in Takoda, among many other things. And perhaps above all, it allows me to heal completely and fully.
Expanding on a line from “The Rings of Akhaten”, a Dr. Who episode, when a character is asked about their travel plans and life being put on hold…
“I still plan on going…”
I still plan on doing...
I still plan on being...
I still plan on creating
Most people are aware of the terrible effects cancer can have on people, but few seem to understand that the side effects of treatment can have a devastating and debilitating effect on a patients life not only during and immediately after treatment ends but also for the rest of their life.
In my case, both the cancer treatment and the post treatment side effects have limited my ability to work. So I find myself financially broken and soon unable to pay for rent, bills, auto fuel/maintenance, monthly expenses and caring for and feeding my dog. I humble myself in making this donation request but I am extremely grateful for any and all assistance.
ONGOING OBSTACLES
I am now at a point where I feel strong enough mentally and physically to pursue my passion again. I have started the process of contacting potential employers, offering my services to potential clients and practicing my craft at home so as to be prepared when the calls come. However, I realize this process is going to take upwards of six months before the work is steady and I am back at 100%. Presently, I still face the following obstacles towards finding consistent or full time work:
• My cancer treatment and rehab have taken place Albuquerque, NM, far from my home of twenty years, Brooklyn, NY, and I must contend with having very few contacts in the Albuquerque area
• Strength and stamina are still considerably less than they were pre-cancer treatment
• Significant lack of taste and saliva production decreases both my enjoyment of meals and increases eating time by about 2x or more
• Frequent on-going appointments for rehab, therapy and follow-up doctor visits / tests
• A recent diagnosis of osteoradionecrosis (ORN) may require hyperbolic chamber treatment (HBO) which would entail 5 daily treatments a week for anywhere from 3-4 weeks and require a daily round trip of 120 miles to/from Santa Fe, NM
• I am still considered immunocompromised. I am fully vaccinated and recently received my booster shot but still must exercise extreme caution and careful monitoring of my surroundings. Especially now with Omicron.
WHAT YOUR DONATION PAYS FOR
Without your kind donation I stand to lose my home and possessions, the ability to function in a way that would allow me to efficiently pursue work and the ability to properly care for and feed my dog Takoda. But your assistance does more than just help me to pay for the following items, it buys me time. Valuable time. A few extra months of time allows me to find work, ideally within the areas of my experience, but to also explore other viable methods of earning my own income and once again becoming self sufficient and being productive. Additionally, it provides me the time to finish my rehab and therapies and to heal completely. This is a list of the items your donations help pay for:
• Rent and internet service - mine is a small space, but I currently call it home and it has an easily accessible outdoors space for Takoda, especially when I am away from home (internet is built into my rent cost)
• Electricity - aside from internet I have no other utility costs and pay for no premium channels (other than the Criterion Channel, please don't let that be taken from me)
• Storage space - Most of what I own is in a storage facility roughly 1700 miles away. I stand to lose all those possessions, including family heirlooms, photographs and memories
• Feeding and caring for my dog Takoda, including medications and necessary visits to the veterinarian
• Fuel, maintenance and registration for my car
• Auto insurance
• Renters insurance
• Cell phone service
• Credit card payments
• Ongoing cost of prescriptions and over the counter medical supplies
• Non-food related groceries and supplies
* My food needs are mostly covered by SNAP benefits along with food banks. My health insurance has been renewed until late into 2022
DOING MY PART
These expenses add up to about $1700.00/month and your donation will help cover a part of those monthly expenses and help me get thru the next 6 months or so. For my part I am proceeding in the following ways to earn my own way and bring this hardship to an end as quickly as possible:
• Exploring other avenues of funding such as rental and utility assistance
• Have acquired both food and health insurance assistance (not included in the total monthly expenses)
• Contacting potential employers and clients directly
• Utilizing job listings specific to my industry as well as general listings in numerous search engines and job sites.
• Utilizing social media sites liked LinkedIn, industry specific job boards and listing on freelance specific websites that provide listings for clients to find freelance talent in a variety of fields
• Selling prints of my photography
• Taking a part-time day job
• Updating my website and creating new demo reels
• Exploring starting a YouTube channel and providing stock photography/videography as income sources (valuable pointers/suggestions in these areas are welcome and and gratefully acceptable)
You can additionally provide aid by either hiring me for a job directly or providing me with a lead to a job. My main areas of experience are cinematography, filmmaking and photography. As a thank you for your donation I will offer a discount on any products or services I might provide to you or leads that you generate. Examples of potential jobs/services:
• Cinematography (narrative, documentary, industrial and corporate films)
• Videography
• Promotional videos for small businesses, artists, web videos
• Still Photography for web sites (this could be people or objects, especially for commerce sites)
• Still Photography for personal use such as portraits
• Still Photography for sale (view currently available work via my website www.kennydixon.com
• Video Editing
INCENTIVES
Knowing the value of your donations I am offering the following incentives. As a token of my gratitude to everyone who donates, I will provide updates of both my medical condition and financial/work situation.
• For donations of $250.00 and above I will send you an 11x14 signed black & white photograph that is professionally matted, including backing board and is ready for framing. I currently have about 20 of them to choose from
• Donations of $500.00 can choose between an 11x14 signed black & white photograph that has been professionally framed with a wooden black frame, high quality non-glare glass and is completely sealed from the elements or a personalized copy of my hard cover book of photography "Perspectives and Reflections: Visions Borne of the Past
• Donations of $700 and above receive both the professionally framed black & white photograph and a personalized copy of my book of photography "Perspectives and Reflections: Visions Borne of the Past"
GRATITUDE TO THE EXTREME
I wish I could say that my gratefulness goes without saying, but it needs to be said loudly and as often as need be. If you try hard enough you will feel the energy of my extreme gratitude.
Your support will help me survive what I consider the most difficult time of my life, and I’ve had many close calls. Your generosity means that I can continue close to a normal life with a home, all my possessions and a well cared for companion in Takoda, among many other things. And perhaps above all, it allows me to heal completely and fully.
Expanding on a line from “The Rings of Akhaten”, a Dr. Who episode, when a character is asked about their travel plans and life being put on hold…
“I still plan on going…”
I still plan on doing...
I still plan on being...
I still plan on creating
Organizer
Kenny Dixon
Organizer
Albuquerque, NM