Hi, this is Lois Weaver and Peggy Shaw, friends of Frank Mullaney and Neil Greenberg.

You may know that our wonderful friend Frank died on February 23rd at Lenox Hill Hospital in NYC as a result of respiratory complications brought on by a targeted chemotherapy treatment for metastatic lung cancer. Frank’s cancer was originally diagnosed just a few months before, in July.

What you may not know is the saga that preceded Frank’s arrival at Lenox Hill.

At the beginning of January, Neil and Frank left NYC for Mexico for a much-needed break from work, from orchestrating retirement, and from moving apartments, all while Frank was undergoing chemotherapy. Just hours after arriving, though, Frank had a respiratory crisis – with a dangerously low blood oxygen saturation of 35% - and was brought by ground ambulance to a hospital in Cancun. Later that same day Frank had to be intubated and was put on a ventilator. Frank stayed in that hospital for three weeks, with Neil by his side day and night. The initial hope was that Frank could recover enough so he and Neil could return to NYC on a commercial flight, with the help of a portable oxygen generator. Frank did come off the ventilator for a few days and was starting to recover, but then had a setback and had to be intubated and put back on the ventilator again. It was clear then that the only way to get him home was via air ambulance. Neil spent hours negotiating with their medical insurance, air ambulance services in Mexico and in the US, and both Lenox Hill and the hospital in Cancun to make this happen. All this time Frank and Neil were alone in Mexico, and much of the time Frank was so heavily sedated he was unconscious. It’s hard to fathom how frightening and difficult this had to be for Neil, and of course for Frank. Neil finally found a way for them to return to NYC on January 28th via air ambulance, however it was NOT covered by medical insurance and had to be paid upfront.

It’s so sad to lose such a wonderful human like Frank Mullaney. It’s also sad that we live in a time and a place where care comes at such a cost. Two exhausting and unsuccessful appeals to the insurance company later, we’re reaching out to those who knew and loved Frank, and love and want to support Neil, to help defray the cost of the med-flight, which was $56k. Neil shouldn’t have to bear the exorbitant cost of getting Frank home alongside the unbearable loss of his lovely Frank.

This is, of course, a painful time for all of us who mourn Frank’s death. When Frank died at Lenox Hill on that snowy night in February, he was finally free of all the tubes and machinery. Neil was with him when he exhaled his last breath. In the days prior he had said, “I don’t want to be forgotten.” One way for us to honor Frank’s desire to be remembered is to continue to offer our support for Neil. Please help us help him and contribute what you can.

(Photo of Frank by Rick Shupper)