Help Scott Fight Cancer

Hello,
 
Scott and I are reaching out to you to let you know Scott was diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer in early February of this year. We created this Go Fund Me page to help pay for his medical and living expenses for the foreseeable future. He's unable to work while fighting his cancer, and now, with shelter in place orders, and the shutdown of bars and clubs, he has no source of income from booking shows and barbacking. While we understand many of us are in a similar predicament due to Covid-19, any support, however seemingly insignificant, is helpful and deeply appreciated. 
 
We apologize if you are just learning about Scott's cancer via this Go Fund Me page. Scott is known and loved by many and we were unable to contact everyone personally. 
 
It's understandable you may have questions about the details of his cancer, and what the future holds. We’ve done our best to answer those questions below. Of course, you can contact us if you have additional questions, or just want to give him some love and support. We will do our best to respond. You can reach Scott at depthchargepresents at gmail.com.  He is not on social media.  
 
We know these are difficult days for all of us – financially, physically, and emotionally. It's always hard to ask for help, especially when so many of our friends and family members are in need right now, too. Thank you to all the people who have already been on this journey with us, and to those of you just learning about Scott's cancer. Your support means more than we can express. 
 
Love, 
Scott & Emily 
 
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For those of you receiving this who may not know Scott, or about his work, here's a brief description:

Scott's contributions to live music in the San Francisco Bay Area - primarily punk, metal, and other underground genres - have played a significant role in shaping the local scene into what it is today. 

He moved to San Francisco in 1988 from his hometown of Nevada City. Within a year, he was spinning records in bars and clubs. He started booking shows in 1995 under the name Alcoholocaust Presents, and became a catalyst for the storied Mission punk scene. In 2016 he changed his booking name to Depth Charge Presents. He also booked touring bands passing through San Francisco and put them up at his house. 

Scott built those relationships into a national and international network of musicians, bookers, venues, and friends.  For 25 years, he has drawn bands to the Bay Area, and helped Bay Area bands tour the world. 

To date, Scott has organized more than 4,000 shows in the Bay Area.  He has managed and booked U.S. and International tours for The Bar Feeders, La Plebe, Fleshies, Strychnine, Kicker, Christ on Parade, Phantom Limbs, Saviours, 400 Blows (from LA), The Restarts (from London), Motorama (from Rome), Toxic Narcotic (from Boston) and Scurvy Dogs.  
 
Scott has stayed committed to working with small clubs and venues, supporting up and coming local and international bands, and booking new bands their first show. He has always placed a premium on booking diverse bills and supporting bands with female musicians, people of color, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
 
Over the years, Scott has booked shows at Eagles Drift Inn, The Chameleon, Blue Dolphin Studios, Kommotion, Covered Wagon Saloon, Tip Top, Tempest, Paradise Lounge, El Rio, Kimo's, Annie's Social Club, Elbo Room, Bender’s, S.F. Eagle, Thee Parkside, Hemlock, The Knockout, The Riptide, The Golden Bull, Eli's Mile High Club, and many more. Many of them would say that Scott’s ability to draw crowds with strong bills helped re-establish their venues, or get their businesses through tough times.  
  
The fact that so many musicians count Scott as a friend and mentor is a testament to the way he conducts business and builds relationships at the same time. The Bay Area music scene would be a very different place without his hard work and dedication to bringing people together by supporting great music.  

Scott is also known for his gregarious personality, and his distinctive laugh can often be heard across the whole bar. Even though it's not lucrative, he loves what he does and feels lucky that the hobby he started three decades ago has been his full time job. 
 
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Below are the details of Scott’s cancer story and what we know so far:

In September of 2019 Scott started periodically having difficulty and pain when urinating. This persisted on and off for a few months, and eventually worsened in early December. Around the holidays he started experiencing severe lower back pain. He thought he probably hurt it lifting something heavy and it would eventually go away, but it kept getting worse. He went to urgent care in late January, where they performed blood tests and a physical exam. His PSA (Prostate Specific Antigen) blood test result was extremely high and pointed toward advanced prostate cancer. A diagnosis couldn't be confirmed until a biopsy was performed. 
 
In mid-February Scott had an MRI scan which revealed possible cancerous growths beyond just his prostate. These pointed toward cancerous lesions in his lymph nodes, five vertebra, left and right pelvic bone, left adrenal gland, and liver. That's when we both realized how severe things were. Urgent Care prescribed Ibuprofen, muscle relaxers and narcotics to help with his pain and agonizing back and abdominal muscle spasms, as well as medication to help make it easier for him to urinate.  
 
A bone biopsy was performed in early March, which was a non-invasive outpatient procedure, taking samples from his pelvic bone. We received the results several days later and he was officially diagnosed with stage 4 metastatic prostate cancer. Around this time his pain and mobility took a major turn for the worse. He couldn't get out of bed without having a horrible spasm. He was extremely fatigued from a lack of proper sleep because of the pain and the need to urinate on an hourly basis. He also needed to use a cane and, eventually, a walker, and required around the clock care. It was scary and taxing on both of us, and we both really thought his days were numbered.  
 
He finally saw an Oncologist after receiving the bone biopsy results and immediately started a hormone suppression treatment called Androgen Deprivation Therapy (ADT) in late March. This treatment shrinks the cancer tumors by blocking the body's production of testosterone. We learned radiation is not the best option for Scott's metastatic cancer since it so widespread. His doctor may include immune therapy and/or chemotherapy as a part of his treatment later down the line, depending how his body responds to the hormone suppression therapy. ADT is a combination of different shots and pills. 
 
So far he is responding well to the hormone suppression therapy. He's in less pain and has more strength and hasn't had a muscle spasm in over a week, though he still uses his cane. He's sleeping and urinating more easily too. We're happy the treatment has helped so far, but we don’t know how long it will work. Scott's Oncologist (who we like a lot), advised we'll have a better idea of life expectancy after he's been on hormone suppression therapy for 6 months. At that time additional blood tests and scans will be performed to see how his body is responding. From what we know thus far, it looks like Scott has another 1 to 5 years.  
 
Because the cancer has spread up his whole spine, it has seriously weakened his vertebra and caused spinal compression fractures. These painful fractures have left him permanently stooped over and he's no longer 6'4". He will have mobility issues for the rest of his life. Even though he still has an appetite, he has also lost weight, which we now know is expected with advanced cancer. He is working with his primary doctor and a nutritionist to tailor a special diet for him.  
 
I've been his nurse/caretaker throughout this process, and I'm doing my best to be strong and give him the best life possible. It's hard on both of us some days, but we're supporting each other and trying to remain realistic and optimistic. 
 
I hope this information is helpful and answers any questions you might have. Thank you for reading and for your consideration. 
 
Love, 
Emily