Donald Quan's Post-Surgery Sight Restoration in His One Eye

Hi, my name is Phil Jackson, I'm fundraising for my friend and colleague Donald Quan.

I've known Donald since 1994, as a successful freelance composer and recording artist, (the introduction came via the good offices of Caron Nightingale, thanks Caron!) to score our first commercial (if low budget) film, the somewhat infamous RepliKator.

Donald was a member of Lighthouse, he toured with Loreena McKennitt, scored countless films and TV series including most of ours. He's also lead many experimental (and commercial) concerts I've had the pleasure to attend, published many inspiring CDs. Donald won several Socan Awards, was the Musical Director of the Canadian

Aboriginal Music Awards, (in which he was recognized with a Lifetime Contribution Award-) and nominated for three CSA’s.

As some of you will know, in 2009 Donald suffered a massive stroke onstage at the Bluesfest in Kitchener. At first his survival was in doubt, then his ability to talk or walk -let alone compose. He recovered each by baby-steps over the years, with tenacity, commitment, optimism and gratitude; working anew with artists, and has been doing so with musical originality and great craft, composing again for some time now. Those clients who were willing to take the risk, found themselves deeply rewarded by his new work.

In all of this he has also dedicated time to mentoring talented young musicians. Yet the process of recovery lost him the comfortable lifestyle he once had (Donald waves that off like it's no big thing), lives on a tiny income and responsibly dedicated all his royalties to his family and care of his two children. He now lives in a tiny basement boiler room that is what Eraserhead's place would have looked like if it was packed with old technology.

He sleeps on a couch, a bed won't fit there. He rises in optimism each day (regardless of how he feels, optimism is the disciple of his mind). That's the Donald we know and love.

Some of you will also know that a year ago in ongoing medical including diabetes, he lost the entire sight of his right eye without a possibility of recovery. His remaining eye was at risk too. His vision declining - particularly due to glaucoma. There recently came a point where the glaucoma had stabilized enough for Donald to undergo surgery to signifigantly mitigate the remaining eye’s issues. The procedure was done almost two weeks ago (and to the best we can tell, gone well). The eye surgeon warned him that he’d experience vacillation between improved sight and periods temporary blindness during his recovery for a few weeks. Indeed this is what's been happening.

Thus we decided that Donald couldn't safely recover alone in his cramped-old-tech-packed, tiny furnaced apartment, (not to mention being money-less by having to forfeit working gigs during this period). He needs to heal and just concentrate on healing.

And, finally getting to the point, thus this go fund me.

We've managed to put Donald up in -depending on availability- in a small guest unit in our condo or, across the street, in a hotel room. He bounces between them as needed, and gets to sleep (a lot) and heal. We're providing food so far, but support needs to continue for a while, and even when he goes home (soon we expect), he will need to pay for basic life, food, meds that after covered, new glasses, the optometrist bill, and some other support ongoing until he gets fully back on his feet.

Figuring it out, it seems to me $8,500-ish will do the basics. All of it goes to Donald and his expenses. Donald's always been reluctant to ask for help, so I got his permission to ask for him.

If you can do anything, even tiny amounts, trust me it's appreciated! I know many of his friends are starving artists, no one is expected to break their banks. Times can be tough and we all know times in Canada are about to get tougher, so everyone, please take care, be of courage and if you can help Donald, even a little, that would be just great.