Help Paul get back on the floor.

Hi, I’m Paul McGill, a choreographer & director in New York. About a month ago, I started experiencing numbness in my leg while walking to get coffee. Soon after, I began experiencing shooting pain in my hip, waking me up at night. Since then, I’ve tried massage and acupuncture to get relief, but nothing has solved it thus far.

As a choreographer, movement is my life (and livelihood), and this pain has really been holding me back from doing my job. I’ve had to lay low for the past month, spending most of my days on a heating pad in bed and getting around the city with crutches and costly Ubers. I’m determined to find out what’s going on, but I need an MRI to get the answers.

After about a month of rescheduling on their part, my insurance company, United Healthcare (yes, THAT United Healthcare), has denied my claim for the MRI by saying it’s an unnecessary procedure. The only way to make an appeal is to see a doctor once a month for 3 months... I can't wait that long. The only way to proceed with the imaging is to pay out of pocket, and I’m reaching out to you for help in raising the funds I need to move forward.

I’m excited to get back to doing what I love and continue creating. Your support would mean so much to me, and I’m incredibly grateful for any contribution you can make.