Help Madoc Live With Cancer

Howdy All! Madoc here.


Thank you for taking the time to check out my GoFundMe page.


The short version is that I have stage 4 cancer and would greatly appreciate help in making the jump into a new life full of unforeseen challenges.


The long version. I was hospitalized in January and early February with severe pneumonia, and while I was there I ended up with a diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of (you guessed it) the rectum. On top of that, it’s considered stage 4, as has metastasized to my lungs and probably some other organs. In fact, it was the tumors in my lungs that landed me in the hospital, since there was one basically blocking off airflow into and out of my left lung.


Stage 4 is pretty much the big bad version of whatever cancer you might end up with. It’s past the point where it is technically curable, and the long term prognosis for what I have isn’t so hot. 


If you’d like to keep abreast of how I’m faring in general, I have a Caring Bridge blog up here .


I’m going to live with cancer, though, and here’s where you can help.


Up until very recently I was working pretty much constantly. Helping run the gym at Blue Ox Athletics/ CrossFit Portland took most of my time and provided basically 100% of my income. With the cancer and attendant hospitalizations, pneumonia, and inability to exert myself, I’ve not been able to work since mid-January. My incredible bosses have been very generous, and they were able to keep me employed until this month. They haven’t left me in the cold by any stretch of the imagination, but I can’t give them the work that they were paying for anymore. Instead, I’m going to be teaching a couple of classes a week, and seeing whatever in person clients I have the energy for. Unfortunately, this will mean I’m not likely to cover my basic living expenses for a little while. 


My medical care is being provided through the Veterans Administration. It’s comprehensive and, at least in the case of the people that I’m working with, quite supportive. It doesn’t, however, cover anything other than medical care. I’m still in the process of figuring out with them exactly how much of the bill I have to foot, as the change in my income status drastically changes what I might be financially responsible for. 


I’m asking that, if you can help contribute, we aim to cover my basic living and business expenses for six months. This comes out to roughly $1500 a month between rent, car and renter’s insurance, the phone bill and some services that I use as part of my coaching practice. I’m setting the goal a little higher than this to take into account unforeseen expenses and other possible vagaries. 


Six months worth of coverage will give me an opportunity to focus my energy on staying as healthy as I can at a critical time in this process. On top of that, I will be able to develop an online coaching business more fully. I need to focus on distant coaching via web services and remote contact. One of the side effects of chemotherapy is a suppressed immune system, and I’ll have to shift away from face to face coaching sessions to more remote options. 


In addition to online coaching I would like to start focusing my energy toward contributing to building a better understanding of the needs of people with chronic and potentially life threatening illness. I don’t want to sit on my butt and live with cancer passively. I want to turn this on its head, and use my experience to help people navigate what chronic illness means. 


I’m not dead yet. I’m going to live with cancer, and I’m going to share what I learn.