Donating Question

[Nerdling]

After reading about Andys illness and the quest to get him into Johns Hopkins I read through the threads...

I guess what I want to know is... has anyone independently confirmed that the funds are being used for said purposes?

I do not mean to be disrespectful to anyone, I fully support charity actions and tin cups to help members but I have seen too many people on the internet screwing people out of hard earned cash.

Apologies to those offended anyway.

[savannahana]

1. if it helps your thoughts any, and with all respect, truly

(and I realize probably only a few will read here)

YES: I have, to my own full satisfaction, from people long close in personal relationship to Andy on the ground, people i have every reason to trust, profoundly, -- i've confirmed all you are asking about

and i well understand, as you may understand from my own testament below, what and why you are asking

i've sent directly to Andy first $200, then (on the concept of matching funds & in profound fellow-feeling for others here at DU, to encourage those who care just as all of us care for Andy's situation ((WHICH JUSTLY, SHOULD NOT BE ANY HUMAN BEING's SITUATION)), but who could only send a few bucks) staked another $300 which was matched within hours, practically within minutes, my stake along with that of others was matched -- the matching funds were not only pledged but SENT THROUGH up front (same way the damn corporations raise their funds, if you think about it)

i am not an economically "independent" person, & haven't been, for years now.

have been on tiny fixed disability income for many years now, like countless other Americans; but a person learns how to manage on next-to-nothing. it's my firm belief that the *vast majority* of us (on SS disability) do NOT break the rules, and never "cheat", or any of the other things that are often assumed about this *unacknowledged* aspect & sizable population of both adults and children within the Social Security system.

having good credit, carefully-built over many years, i USED IT, in the face even of the recent legislation and increases in interest rates & all their damned usurious (now Congressionally-sanctioned) changing the rules in the middle of the game, - the bill you know too well was supported through Congress into law, and too many high-profile Dems ALSO voted FOR that bill.

to send for and directly TO Andy what he needs RIGHT NOW for life-saving surgery at the only institution truly equipped to perform that surgery

if i find i have to fight with my creditors against higher interest rates due to funds i sent as "cash" -- then so be it.

i know how to argue that fight,, that fight will be almost a pleasure to me, a person never over limit and never late in payment; and someone more-than-ripe to serve them a piece of my mind on the INCONTROVERTIBLE PROOF of their corps' bottomless GREED!

i lived, myself, for a decade in the Reagan/Bush-1 era, with NO HEALTH INSURANCE and NO PERSONAL INCOME, i know full well what "dependency" is, and what basic SURVIVAL can entail -- and this was all LONG before i ever even considered filing for SS disability

tonight i'm sending a further (if smaller, & off-the-top-cash) amount to Andy, because that ~distinguished~ and inarguably excellent hospital IS going to demand another *$25,000* after his scheduled surgery is done, and by my latest information, it is scheduled for a date next week -- VERY SOON.

think. it WAS me in Andy's shoes, and well-may-yet-again be me, or mine.

think. so, too, could it just as easily, & unforeseeably, be you, or yours.

i am certainly not offended by your question. i am offended only by insane hyper-retrogressive governmental policy in this nation that utterly FAILS to acknowledge universal health care as an essential, fundamental (in the true sense of that word) HUMAN RIGHT.

NOT A PRIVILEGE, BUT A RIGHT.

i am a person who cannot afford to be "conned". i can't afford on a daily or monthly basis even one dollar of con-artistry, nor even of eloquent and utterly genuine appeals in a number of political, social, and environmental causes which i care about, profoundly.

i'm giving however i can to Andy Stephenson, KNOWING this is for real, to save a unique and infinitely-valuable human life; and praying for the day IN MY LIFETIME when such appeals as we have mounted here from pure, sheer, no-other-way-to-go-about-it desperation,, will never, NEVER, EVER again be necessary.

this, Andy's, is one case, of extreme, immediate, medically-defined and medically-mandated need for immediate treatment.

tonight i am thinking of the numberless, nameless people in this country - they and their dependent children, their dependent elders, their dependent siblings (i've been one of those) AND their hardworking but increasingly under- or UNINSURED spouses (AND I AM ATTACHED TO ONE OF THOSE, WHO RECENTLY SUFFERED A WORK-IMPAIRING INJURY), who have NO RESORT WHATSOEVER in the face of catastrophic illness or injury.

AND I AM ABSOLUTELY SURE THAT ANDY, HIMSELF, AS HE FELL ASLEEP TONIGHT IN THE HOSPITAL IN BALTIMORE, AND WHEN HE WAKES UP IN THE MORNING, DETERMINED TO *LIVE* AND TO FIGHT ON TO SECURE THE RIGHTS OF ALL OF US TO HAVE OUR VOICES AND OUR VOTES ***COUNTED INDIVIDUALLY, LEGITIMATELY, LEGALLY, PAPER-TRACEABLY, & HISTORICALLY-VERIFIABLY*** -- ANDY, himself, as he has said, attested, written here so directly, gratefully, and eloquently, is inspired to fight what he faces, to survive and to be well, strong, and free again, in order to continue his already well-established work ON BEHALF OF EACH AND EVERY ONE OF US.

if you can't or if you remain unsure in any sense, about contributing toward Andy's cause, then please: PLEASE, write via PM directly to me or to any one of us at DU who you've seen supporting Andy's cause with all our will and all our might over these past few days. I can assure you, you will be answered, and without reservation, any questions you have will be answered.

or, only take what you've seen happening here at DU, and spread your awareness and your thoughts about it FAR AND WIDE, and encourage others to do the same.

Andy himself would be the very first to say, in full voice with so many of us :::

this situation has GOT TO CHANGE, for ALL OF US.

my best to you, and thank you for posing the question so directly here, so that somebody could answer it, as directly and openly as you posed it.

thanks again, Nerdling, for your question.

sincerely,
ana in KY