Support Karl and Tony during Karl's health crisis.

Hi! We’re Meg, Don, and Ron, decades-long friends of Karl Scheitheir and Tony Popielinski, his partner of 35 years, and we are all here in Buffalo.

After months of asking his doctors for a diagnosis, Karl was taken by ambulance to the ER at Buffalo General on Christmas Day. While in the waiting room he suffered a stroke that has left him with limited use of his right arm and hand, and subsequent tests have revealed cancer in his pancreas that has metastasized to his liver and lungs. Karl is still in the hospital and now unable to work, and Tony has taken a leave of absence from his own job to take care of his husband. In the face of this stunning diagnosis, their lives have been turned upside down.

Karl and Tony have both worked hard for decades, but—perhaps like you—they’re not exactly bringing in the big bucks. While they have basic health insurance, the bills they will soon be dealing with will clearly surpass the coverage they have.

Karl and Tony have both been vital contributors to the LGBTQ community of Western New York since the early 1990s, working with ACTUP WNY to improve life for people with AIDS and as vocal supporters of women’s reproductive rights as part of the clinic defense movement. In the years since, Karl has volunteered his talents to countless worthy causes as a graphic designer, editor of numerous LGBT publications throughout the region, and a beloved DJ.

We have all watched Karl and Tony both give selflessly to everyone they know who has ever needed anything, from close friends and relatives to coworkers, neighbors, and total strangers. Now they are the ones who need our help. And yours.

Please give to help cover the costs of Karl's urgent, critical medical treatment, and to allow Tony to take time off to support and care for his partner. If you can’t afford to contribute, please help by spreading Karl’s story to members of your own family of choice.