Hello, my name is Seth Cook, and I’m a Black, queer, 24-year-old male with a painful injury story. In 2018, I injured my back in a dance accident. After 2 years of doctor’s visits, I finally got surgery in 2020, but post-surgery complications have delayed my recovery. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, I’m now unable to balance my work schedule with my treatment plan. I’ve always struggled to ask for help, but my options are limited. For my cost of living, estimated medical bills, and my out-of-pocket surgery cost, I’m requesting $10,000 for 6 months of personal and medical expenses.

In June 2018, I was a soon-to-be college-graduate with dreams of being a professional dancer. That month, I was dancing alone one night and felt/heard a loud crack in my back. In my initial exam, my doctor told me my back would heal "in 2 weeks," but 2 months later, I still felt pain. And after graduating college, my move to Portland, OR from small-town Washington meant losing my health insurance and access to care.

After an MRI, an X-ray, PT, 3 chiropractors, and multiple doctor’s visits across 2 states, I was approved for low-back surgery (after finally seeing my first POC doctor) in July 2020. However, after 2 months, it has become clear to my doctor that the surgery did not achieve its desired goal. As we continue working on my treatment plan, my doctor has prescribed at least 2 months of medical leave. I currently do not have the funds to take unpaid leave from my work. Any support through my healing journey would be a huge relief at this time.

Cost breakdown:
—Living (rent + insurance + food + bills): $1,250+/month
—Out-of-pocket surgery cost: $1,200
—Medical: $30/visit

Total:
—$10,000 for 6 months

Venmo: @sethcook
CashApp: $sethabbotcook

Thanks for reading - edits/updated dated below:

– 09/23/2020: My week-1 GoFundMe earnings were $861. This money, in addition to some Venmo donations, has allowed me to take a 1-month leave of absence (unpaid) from work. This falls below my short-end initial goal, but I very much appreciate everyone, especially strangers, who's donated money to this - community means so much to me now! :)

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– 09/24/2020: I started physcial therapy today, and I have 4 (with more potentially on the way) more scheduled PT appointments for next month.

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– 11/16/2020: I've been to ~12 physical therapy appointments, and my health trajectory is fluxuating upwards. My pain-levels vary day-to-day, but physical therapy has introduced techniques that help me target specific pains, through stretching exercises and outdoor runs (daily).

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As of 11/16/2020: CURRENTLY UNEMPLOYED