Help Derek Exit "Stage 3" Kidney Cancer

Derek DeAngelis, or Derek D as he is known to those who know and love him, is one of those exceptional people: a talented actor/comedian/host and wonderful son, brother, uncle, and friend.

Derek is one of those guys who lights up a room, glows in the dark, and radiates positivity when you’re around him. He is a double-shot of espresso on a rainy Monday morning. And sadly, Derek is now a cancer patient.

For a couple of months, Derek has been feeling fatigued, losing weight, no appetite, etc., which prompted him to get some bloodwork to find the cause. When the bloodwork came back with some concerning markers, his doctors decided to send him for a CT scan of his kidneys. Unfortunately, what was found was not the kind of news you want to hear any time of year, but especially at the holidays. And yet, fortunately, it explained all of his symptoms: an orange-sized mass engulfing his left kidney. He has been diagnosed with Stage 3 kidney cancer and is set to have surgery to remove his left kidney on Thursday, Jan. 2nd, with further tests to follow to hopefully rule out any spreading of the disease. We are all very thankful that within a matter of 5 days, he was able to get diagnosed and scheduled for surgery - a holiday miracle perhaps.

Despite never being able to plan for these types of things, Derek is no stranger to getting knocked down and getting back up again. He lives and breathes by the Rocky Balboa quote: "It ain't about how hard you hit, it's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward..." He busts his ass day in and day out to make a living doing the work he loves and puts considerable effort into maintaining a healthy lifestyle. We have no doubt that his perseverance and resilience will bring him through this difficult time, but he could use our help.

The nature of the entertainment industry is that there are constant ups and downs with complete uncertainty of work and no steady paycheck. There’s nothing in place for if/when you get sick, no “paid leave”, the list goes on, so if he can’t audition and book stuff, it all just stops, and he doesn’t work. If he doesn’t work, he doesn't get paid, and while the mental and emotional burden of this experience is enough, he still has to pay the bills. Rent, car payments, loans, etc. Despite having good medical insurance, he's now adding out-of-pocket medical expenses on top of that, including immunotherapy treatment for a year after the surgery.

Derek has never hesitated to be there for his friends and family, donating his time, skills, and heart to all the people he loves. He is a gem of a human, and his positive contribution is not just contained to his network in NY/NJ, but the world. All of us who have benefitted from knowing him now have a chance to return the favor by reducing the financial difficulties of this period of time.

Any donation is welcomed and greatly appreciated!

Love,

Derek’s Family & Friends