Jackson's Second Cancer Fight - Help Him Win!

Jackson Smith - Colleague, friend, teacher, comic, fundraiser, graduate, and all around great human being. After 3 years in remission, his cancer (Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma) has come back.  Fighting cancer is not easy and it's even more stressful when you are fighting it in a foreign country, foreign language and separated from your family.

Jackson has spent a considerable amount of his time and talent successfully fundraising for important causes in this city (Prague). Let's come together and do something in return. Jackson is a fighter and will continue to work while going through his cancer treatments. Still, it's nice to have extra resources available for hard days and the potential hard times ahead. Teaching English is already exhausting and doing it while under chemo is a different story altogether. 

Funds can't solve the entire problem, but they offer much-needed relief. Your contribution (whatever you can offer) helps tremendously. 

The Language House will have a drop-off box at the school if you wish to physically drop off a donation.

 Here are Jackson's own words. 

"So, hard times ahead.
I found out yesterday that I've relapsed and I'm diagnosed with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma again  I'm really upset.

I was hoping the first time I finished chemotherapy that this would be all behind me, but here we less than three years later and I have another cancer battle ahead of me. Apparently 30 to 40% of folks who enter remission after dealing with DLBCL relapse....so I shouldn't be surprised. Lymphoma is a really tricky bugger to get rid of.

Luckily I'm here in Prague where all of my treatments are going to be free/affordable. I'm really happy that I won't have to deal with huge bills in order to get the treatment I need. I'm transitioning from teaching in a classroom to teaching online, so my livelihood will be made without me ever leaving my flat soon. I've got a lot of friends here in Prague, and of course, my boyfriend who's been with me through this long journey and wants to stay with me even though I'm sick.

I'm really sad and scared about going through chemotherapy again. Luckily I should be starting chemo next Monday and I'm stoked to begin treatment so soon! I think everything will be fine. I'm staying here in Prague, I'm not going back to California. My family knows about this and in a surprise move my dad has paid for my VZP insurance for the rest of the year, so thanks, dad.

If you're in Prague and want to do something or help, I'm always down. I lost a few friends in San Diego when I got sick because they were too freaked out about having a friend with cancer, so they kinda just deserted me. Having cancer sucks, and losing friends because you have cancer sucks too. I don't know how much I'll be able to do round 2, but during my first round of chemo, I was still kicking ass and directing musicals and going to concerts and drag shows. Just include me in your lives if you want, because between chemotherapy and teaching online I'm going to feel very alone and disconnected from people. Being around people reminds me that I'm still a part of the world, and reminds me why I need to get better.

I'm really devastated that I'm here in this position again, but I've won one cancer battle in my life before, so let's go ahead and make it two."

 ***

Jackson's condition is described as "DLBCL is a fast-growing, aggressive form of NHL (cancer)" Our friend is aggressive too. Let's help him fight this.