Help Erro Lynd (FKA Rose) get cancer treatment

Our beloved, hilarious, and fierce Erro Lynd (they/them, fka Rose) was recently diagnosed with a 6th recurrence of cancer. They were originally diagnosed in 2005 at age 24 with Stage IV Neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that usually only affects children. Erro has since survived Leukemia, a bone marrow transplant, and recurrences of Neuroblastoma almost every 3 years. Erro has received treatment at Memorial Sloan Kettering (MSK) for 17 years and they are now the oldest patient being treated there with Neuroblastoma.

In Erro’s own words:

“Living with cancer has defined my entire adult life. I’m 17 years in, with most of that time in some form of treatment. I am grateful to have survived long enough to be receiving a new form of immunotherapy treatment and one round in I can say that this treatment, while still awful, is not the absolute worst I’ve experienced. I’ve been nauseous everyday since the first day of chemo back in November, but at least I’m not puking! And I am bald from chemo for the 4th time, but so far I still have eyebrows!”

Both Erro and their creative, brilliant, and loving spouse Julia are disabled and on a fixed income from Social Security. Julia has Myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), following a serious Lyme infection, which means her cells don’t create energy properly and she often experiences fatigue and mobility challenges. Erro and Julia moved to Wyoming 4 years ago because the cool, dry climate and clean air improved their health. They are fixing a house there and love the community and life they are building. A big factor in deciding to take a leap further away from New York and MSK, where they knew Erro would continue to be treated, was because the hospital offered support for travel expenses and free housing in NYC right near the hospital for both Erro and Julia. Unfortunately, Erro no longer qualifies for many of these resources because of their age (apparently adult cancer patients are not as exciting to charities as kids and younger patients are) and the charity no longer covers housing for a caregiver, even though sleep is essential for caregiving, and especially for Julia because of her ME/CFS.

An anecdote from Erro:

“When we pointed out that quality sleep is the single most important factor for Julia’s health and therefore ability to care for me and be my healthcare advocate, and the skinny, hard, bed-chair in my loud shared hospital room cannot provide quality sleep; my social worker suggested that maybe Julia shouldn’t come with me. Unbelievably callous. Julia is the person I need with me most in the world - most especially when I am signing up to be poisoned once again. We do not accept their ableist worldview. We will do whatever we can to make this harsh society accessible for both of us to walk through it together.”

Erro and Julia have dedicated their lives to fighting for human rights. Whether through labor organizing, supporting LGTBQAI youth, or organizing for healthcare as a human right –– they have put their bodies and brains to work for the communities they care for. Now it is time to care for them!

It is likely that Erro will need to have 10 rounds total of treatment to survive this recurrence of Neuroblastoma. The travel expenses alone (flights, hotels, food etc) will be tens of thousands of dollars. There will also be medical bills and copays. And on top of everything, Erro and Julia do not have heat in their Wyoming bedrooms, which is making the long winter of healing in between treatments unbearably cold.

Whatever you can spare, and however many people you can reach with this fundraiser to help them meet their costs and make the reality they are facing a little more manageable is greatly appreciated! You can either donate through this GoFundMe page, or better yet send them money through Zelle using the number ending in 1686. With Zelle the money will be sent immediately and 100% of the money will go toward them (This site takes a cut of all donations). Whether or not you can donate, please do lift this up with your own networks!

From Julia:

“We have received all kinds of love and support from our community in the past, and we truly would not be here without you! Thank you to those who have already donated, and thank you all for posting and forwarding and boosting this to as many people as you can! You are the reason we’ve gotten as far as we have. So much love and solidarity to all of you!"