Help with Gary’s cancer costs

Hello all,

I’m guessing you are here because you know Gary, or our family, and as such you know what a special, silly, loving, thoughtful man my dad is. You may or may not know that through Gary’s life he has worn many literal and/or proverbial hats. He has been a business owner, an elementary school teacher, and a father as well as grandfather. He loved, and had, horses for decades. He finds peace staring at large bodies of water and therapy in dancing. He was a single dad to my brother and I for the vast majority of our lives. He started a non profit gathering resources around pediatric HIV and taught folks who to advocate for themselves and their families in schools and medical settings. He has a delightfully silly, mildly mischievous, streak that delights so many of us.

Gary has had a rough few years medically. First Hodgkins Lymphoma while living in Portugal in 2021, followed by remission sprinkled with a tiny (his words) bit of melanoma and then in January of 2024 he was diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia, likely as a result of the chemo he received for his Hodgkins Lymphoma. He and his wife, Linda, are living outside of Nevada City, California. A stunning area but a significant distance to the medical care he needs. For the last year they have been treking 45 minutes each way, 2-5 days a week for labs/infusions/chemo with regular jaunts down to Sacramento where his oncologist is. Inpatient stays have also been in Sacramento, which is almost 2 hours from their home. Given the distance and strain on driving, Linda is very often sleeping in chairs or paying last minute premium rates for hotels.

Gary being Gary, he has carried through all this with impressive optimism and grace. Given his age and the stroke he had previously, treatment options have been limited. He has been on chemo since January, buying some time for more sunsets, visits with some friends and family, a trip to the hot springs, and much time pouring over old photos. The chemo regime he was on is no longer working and his health is declining very rapidly. Linda is his loving and dedicated caregiver, never far from his side and always advocating for his best interests. Gary will be beginning hospice shortly and Linda is scrambling to make all arrangements for their rural home.

The costs have been mounting and grants to cover medical expenses provided by the hospitals and cancer resources are drying up. Linda is very aware that budgets are tight for everyone right now, but agreed to let me create this gofundme to help bolster their ability to give them the quality of life they both need in these last days. I believe strongly in mutual aid and know these two could use some support, now and in the coming days. Thank you for sharing this message, donating what you can and sending love to Gary from wherever you are on this big globe of ours. My family is most grateful.

-Alora