How You Can Help:

We are asking for $80,000. This is a modest estimate of what is needed to help cover one year of recovery expenses including hospital stays, rehabilitation, living expenses, and more for both Tinku and Marc. Marc has been by her side every day since the day of Tinku's stroke, October 12th. He has been coordinating communication with hospital staff, managing logistics, and trying to keep her business afloat during this incredibly difficult time. This support will ensure that he is able to continue to be a point person for Tinku as she works through her recovery. Both unable to work at the moment, Tinku and Marc need all the support that they can get. We are asking because there is no backup. There is no pension or retirement, and their savings are rapidly being whittled down as time moves on without either Marc or Tinku being able to work. On behalf of my entire family, I thank everyone who is able to donate, share, and support in the ways that they can during this difficult time for my family.

About the Situation:

My name is Ahmad Cary. Some of you may know me, but more importantly, some of you may know pianist and professor Marc Cary, my father, and Tinku Bhattacharyya, my step-mother. On October 12th, at 10:14 PM, Tinku suffered a hemorrhagic stroke and was immediately taken to the hospital for an operation to open her skull to remove the blood from the hemorrhage and to relieve the pressure on her brain. She spent the following 11 days in the Neuro Intensive Care Unit before being moved to the Intermediate Care Unit where she is currently being stabilized and prepped for Acute Rehabilitation. Tinku had an operation on October 22nd to replace her skull bone, which was removed during the initial operation. She is currently being fed through a feeding peg that was implanted on the 29th of October and will continue to be fed through the peg for the foreseeable future. The most pressing issue is that Tinku has lost a large portion of her mobility. The right side of her body will need extensive physical therapy in order to get her to a point where she can be self-sufficient again and proceed through daily activities without the need for additional assistance from another person and/or assistive equipment.

Next Steps in Her Care:

Once Tinku is stabilized in the Intermediate Care Unit, the next step will be to move her into acute rehab. She will spend anywhere from 5 - 21 days in the acute rehab facility before moving on to a sub-acute rehab facility for a short period of time. As she becomes strong enough, Tinku will move from sub-acute care back home for home care. The main focus in both acute and sub-acute care will be working to help Tinku regain her mobility.

As Tinku works to heal and goes through her PT, Marc will be preparing the home for her arrival. Equipment to support Tinku’s home care and mobility will need to be acquired and installed throughout the home. We want to ensure that Tinku is able to fully heal and strengthen herself, and the right tools and support will be a massive aid to this end.

The Financial Situation:

My Dad and Tinku rely on a two-person income, and right now neither of them is able to work. They are relying on savings to cover all living expenses and hospital bills, which are rapidly mounting. Tinku has spent the last 20+ years playing an integral role in bringing some of the most influential artists' visions to fruition, whether that be on the global live stage or recorded music through artist management with artists such as WeAreKing, Amp Fiddler, Marc Cary, Gary Bartz, Rakim, Shuggie Otis, and so many more. She has done incredible work on the rights management side of the business with artists such as Maceo Parker, Reggie Workman, Roy Ayers, and more. She has supported the Baltimore artist community and beyond as the Performance Director at Creative Alliance Arts Center in Baltimore, Maryland. Over the last nearly 10 years, Tinku has also highlighted the upcoming generation of musicians through events produced with the Harlem Sessions and records released through Intrinsic Artists and Session Heads United.

Immediate and Upcoming Costs:

Immediate costs: Our insurance deductible is $5,100, due right at the start of care.

Ongoing and potential costs include:

Their home will also need to be refitted with equipment to aid in Tinku's mobility, such as a ramp for her wheelchair and/or walker, a bed designed for her needs, as well as grab bars and safety equipment.

We will still need to wait until she goes through acute and sub-acute therapy and has a discharge plan put together to have a comprehensive list of the specific items that will need to be acquired. Once a plan has been formalized with her doctors, we will have a much better understanding of what equipment will be paid for and/or provided by insurance, and what will need to be purchased separately and out of pocket.