Help Fund Kelsey's Cancer Treatment & Fertility Preservation

The Situation

Three months ago, our beloved Kelsey Redding took a leap of faith. She said goodbye to her tireless (and often thankless) work of supporting the unhoused community in Los Angeles and moved to Minneapolis knowing absolutely no one, except her loyal companion, Gil (the dog).

Just as she was settling into her new life – PLOT TWIST – she was diagnosed with breast cancer, the same cancer that took her mom’s life when Kelsey was only 24.

In true Kelsey fashion, her first update to friends included "don't feel like you can't make jokes" and a more pointed “I wouldn't want you to treat me differently by actually responding to my text messages” – because she will always find room for humor even when life throws a curveball nobody asked for.

For those who know her contagious laugh from years at Airbnb, sharp wit from producing The Flagrant Ones, or her unique perspective as @importantadult, you already know how truly special this girl is. She's the friend who always shows up, the one who asks the hard questions and listens to the answers, the one who blasts Limp Bizkit at karaoke, the one who speaks passionately about art, sports, or the human condition, while somehow connecting everything poignantly together with pure magic.

Kelsey experienced a record-breaking 4 layoffs during Covid and took a big fat pay cut to pursue the work that she loves - helping her community. Now she's facing cancer without nearby family or long-established local support – though Gil is trying his best and is definitely a very good boy.

The Plan

Kelsey's treatment journey begins May 16th with surgery, followed by radiation and ongoing medical treatment for the next two years minimum. While she has health insurance (thank goodness), she still lives in the U.S. (damnit).

She's facing a high-deductible plan with an untold amount of time away from work... because nothing says "get well soon" like America's healthcare system playing financial Jenga with your life.

But wait, there's more!

Kelsey's post-surgery treatments will affect her fertility and her oncologist has recommended she freeze her eggs due to the myriad complexities of endocrine therapy, potential early menopause, and the cosmic injustice of having to preserve the possibility of future children while still figuring out where to get a good cup of coffee within 10 blocks.

The Budget

Here's what we're trying to help Kelsey cover:

Our goal: a conservative $15,000 to help Kelsey focus on healing rather than stressing about finances.

How You Can Help

Side note: Kelsey recently joked that the early menopause speculation is merely “a sign to start dating women" – so if you know any single ladies in Minneapolis who appreciate brilliant humor, questionable fashion, and aren't intimidated by someone who can out-argue them about basketball statistics... now might be the time for an introduction.

Updates Will Be Posted Here



We'll keep this page updated with Kelsey's journey. Thank you for supporting our friend during this unexpected chapter. Together, we can ensure that Kelsey has the resources she needs to focus on healing, preserving her future fertility options, and of course, maintaining her elite-tier humor throughout treatment and anything else this weird and wild world may throw at us.