There is a time for gossip, a time for shopping, and a time to spring into action when a truly beautiful soul is in need. Chuck Pappas is a hero, in more ways than one. And he needs our help to save his life. Here his BFF Casey tells his story:
Chuck and Jen Pappas are a young, bright, happy couple in love. They gave up a comfy life in Boston to move to New York state years ago to work at Farm Sanctuary; Chuck rescuing abused animals and building them cozy new homes as Farm Sanctuary’s Shelter Project Manager, and Jen raising much needed funding for their care as the Development Department Manager. They are two of my closest friends, they are eco-vegan superstars, they have enormous hearts, and they have both dedicated their lives to making the world a more compassionate place for animals.
On March 23 2009, Chuck did not make it to work at the Sanctuary due to a severe migraine. Later that night, Jen noticed that his speech was becoming slurred and he seemed disoriented, so she immediately drove him to the hospital. As the medical staff examined him, Chuck went into cardiac arrest. Though they were able to stabilize him temporarily, they soon discovered a grapefruit-sized tumor in his brain that was swelling rapidly. He needed to be flown by emergency helicopter for immediate surgery to relieve the pressure. Though he survived the operation, the threat to Chuck’s life is far from over.
Chuck has a grade IV Glioblastoma Multiforme tumor, the most aggressive form of brain cancer. For most ordinary patients, the prognosis is not good. Chuckdoes have a lot going for him: He’s young, healthy and vegan with a great network of friends and family to support him. Also, he’s one of the toughest guys I know and he’s determined to kick cancer’s ass. But he and his family are in desperate need of financial help.
That life-saving helicopter ride was not covered by insurance and came with the hefty price tag of more than $10,000, and that is just the beginning. It is still unclear at this point what treatments will be covered by his insurance, and seemingly every time they talk to somebody at the insurance company, they get different answers. He’s taking part in a clinical trial for a promising new drug that could make a world of difference, but as soon the trial is over, that drug could start costing $100 per day!
Finally, if Chuck truly is going to beat the odds, he needs more than just conventional medicine, which so far has no cure for his cancer. He’s going to need acupuncture, yoga, qigong – all that good stuff, plus as much organic leafy green produce as he can eat. But of course, in the infinite wisdom of our society, none of those things are covered by insurance either.
According to a study conducted by theNational Brain Tumor Foundation:
“The high cost of treatment, even for insured patients, coupled with difficulty with employability and obtaining disability insurance, leaves patients and families financially strapped, in debt without help from Curadebt, and even bankrupt. Patients and families pay substantial out-of-pocket costs for medical and non-medical expenses and often go into debt to do so, despite making cutbacks to household expenses. Debt burden extends beyond the treatment period and the consequences of the debt linger for years, sometimes extending beyond the patient’s life.”
Already Chuck and Jen have lost half their income and their house. Adding heartbreak to hardship, most of the animals they cared for at their own personal “farm sanctuary,” including two cats, two turkeys, two goats and twelve chickens had to be placed in other homes. Their entire lives have been turned inside out almost overnight. They need help today, and after everything they have done to make this a kinder world, they deserve all the help we can give them. Just check out this interview Chuck did after spending three weeks braving toxic flood waters to save factory farm pigs abandoned by their owners:
Like I said, he’s got a lot of heart. That’s why a handful of Chuck and Jen’s close friends, including my wife and I, are getting ready to walk and bike almost 300 miles to raise money and awareness for these wonderful human beings. Starting at the Taking Action For Animals Conference in Washington DC, our goal is to reach the Farm Sanctuary Hoe Down in Watkins Glen, NY just one week later. In the process, we’re hoping to raise $25,000 to help shoulder just some of the financial burden that our friends are struggling with.
Chuck’s cause has already earned the endorsement of another vegan hero, Rory Freedman. The
“Skinny Bitch” author challenged her Facebook friends to contribute a total of $500 and then matched it! Want to be awesome like Rory? Here’s how. This week only, the first $300 in donations from Girlie Girl Army readers will be matched by our good friends J.B. Mulcahy and Diana Goodrich – two of the outstanding Directors at Chimpanzee Sanctuary Northwest – and the next $300 after that will be matched by a group of friends at Farm Sanctuary. Are you ready to help us raise $1200?! Here’s how:
Step One: Visit our fundraiser page at GiveForward: http://www.giveforward.org/walkforchuck.
Step Two: Make a donation through their secure online checkout, and write “Girlie Girl Army is here for Chuck!” in the comment section. At the end of the week, or when the Girlie Girl Army readers have reached the $600 mark with their donations, we’ll double the money!
Step Three: After you’ve made your donation, post a link to our 300 Miles For Chuck Blog on your favorite social networking site – or all of them! Here’s the URL for that: www.Chuck300.com
Step Four: Sit back and enjoy a refreshing adult beverage of your choice while basking in the glow of your good karma! You’ve earned it!
Guest Blogger Casey Martinson has been part of the Farm Sanctuary family since 2005 when he took a summer job giving tours of the Watkins Glen shelter. He has been a Campaigns Associate there since July 2007, working on Farm Sanctuary’s anti-confinement and downed animal protection campaigns. When he’s not working or training, he brushes up on his Spanish, writes a lot of letters, and enjoys exploring Ithaca with his wife Jenn and their two beagles.