Propane Jane™

Though I’ve “met” thousands of you here on Twitter over the years, I’ve only met 2 Twitter friends in person. I’d like to tell you about one of them tonight. His handle is @nffc65 but #onhere I simply call him my brother.

I can’t even remember exactly when we followed each other, but we ultimately found ourselves in an endlessly entertaining Twitter clique. Eventually I learned that he was battling a rare form of leukemia (CLL), only made more rare by the fact that he developed it so young.

He was what we affectionately called a “zebra” in medical school, a case so rare that you basically never see it. I told him the same. One day he DM’d like “so what’s up with @MDAndersonNews (internationally acclaimed cancer center in Houston), is it really as good as they say?!”

In typical PJ fashion I didn’t hesitate to rep my city or the Texas Medical Center, and I literally implored him to come to Houston and see what they could do for him. He took my advice. He found not only gold star doctors and nurses, but all the BBQ he could eat. He found RL me.

For the last few years, he’s made so many trips back and forth to Houston for treatment that I can’t even keep track. We try to break bread and catch up when he’s here, and I’m always humbled by how jolly he is despite his circumstances and how exhausted his body is.

If there’s anyone who can tell you how devastatingly fucked up the American healthcare system is, it’s @nffc65. Full stop.

Though the treatments he’s receiving are state of the art, they come at an astronomical cost. A cost NONE of us is mentally, emotionally, or financially equipped to handle on our own. He’s depleted his entire life savings and staring down the barrel of destitution as I tweet.

Not only is he facing the prospect of going without treatment, he’s lost the ability to provide for not only his ailing body but also his 10 year old son. In other words, he actually meets criteria for economic anxiety. He needs OUR help.

I know it’s a lot to ask to open your wallet to a stranger, but I opened my heart to him and not only gained a “follower” but a real friend. If you have anything to spare, every little bit helps and matters. https://www.youcaring.com/robertgillespie-964895 … PayPal: nffc65@gmail.com

As Americans, we shouldn’t have to do this type of thing for one another, but by the same token we do it because we know no one else will. Your consideration and contributions are greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance, y’all.

Update: @nffc65 shattered his initial fundraising goal and is blazing a trail towards another!! On his behalf, I just wanna say my TL is full of the BEST people humanity has to offer and I’m so thankful for and proud of y’all. Behold the blessing of fellowship and solidarity.

Unfortunately over the last 2 months @nffc65 has lost his health insurance and is now paying out of pocket for his cancer treatment. If you’re able to help him again (or for the 1st time) every bit counts and is tremendously appreciated. https://twitter.com/nffc65/status/1005053216759820288?s=21 …

Also I’d like to reiterate how much I despise America for forcing its citizenry to endure the indignity and inhumanity of a for profit healthcare system. It’s a colossal fucking CRIME and DISGRACE and we should be way more ashamed of it than we are.

I just caught up with @nffc65 by phone, always good to hear his voice but likewise it’s also depressing and infuriating to hear about his never ending battle with our healthcare system to simply remain alive and thriving.

As his friend it’s truly horrifying to contemplate what he and his family are going through but as a doctor working in one of the most uninsured localities in America it’s yet another demoralizing reminder that our nation’s healthcare crisis is real and only worsening with time.

Now that he has no health insurance, he’s required to pay cash in advance in order to resume his cancer treatments at MD Anderson. His doctor’s warning him that he can’t go much longer without treatment but he can’t take heed without first paying the price of admission.

Seriously, how fucked up is that?! The rest of the industrialized world isn’t subjecting it’s populace to such horrors but it’s standard operating procedure to be relegated to preventable pain, suffering and death in America simply because we can’t afford to get well.

So once again I’m here on Rob and his son Marco’s behalf, hoping/praying that if enough of us band together he can raise enough money to get back into treatment at MD Anderson. Anything you can spare is greatly appreciated and one step closer to his goal.https://twitter.com/nffc65/status/1005053216759820288?s=21 …

For those of you inquiring, @nffc65’s PayPal is nffc65@gmail.com and his CashApp handle is $nffc65. Many thanks and much love to y’all.

It’s been a month since I last updated this thread and unfortunately in the meantime @nffc65 has fallen on even harder times and needs to raise more money to keep himself and his family afloat.

The good news is he’s reconnected with his oncologist and is back in treatment at MD Anderson but the costs are so prohibitive to the extent that he’s now being evicted from his apartment on top of having his car repossessed. It’s basically still a nightmare with no end in sight.

We’re keeping our fingers crossed that he’ll be able to get Medicare coverage and additional disability benefits in September, but until then he’s relying on the benevolence of friends, family and extremely kind strangers on Twitter to make it through.

If you can find it in your heart (and wallet) to help out again or for the first time anything you can contribute is sincerely/desperately appreciated. Thank y’all in advance for your consideration and generosity, it literally means the world to @nffc65 in his time of need.

If you’re looking for a good deed to do this week, @nffc65 could really use your generosity in the form of a donation. He’s still fighting the good fight and every little bit of help he can get goes a long way. Thanks in advance, y’all. https://twitter.com/docrocktex26/status/1112766399003410439?s=21 …

Please consider making a donation to help @nffc65 get the cancer treatment he needs. Anything you can spare is very much appreciated and will be a tremendous gift to him and his family. Thanks in advance, y’all. https://twitter.com/nffc65/status/1161969746134233089?s=21 …

Check out this great profile of @nffc65 and please consider chipping in a donation towards his life sustaining treatment if you can. PayPal Venmo nffc65@gmail.com CashApp $MarcoDadhttps://twitter.com/flofc_/status/1169336316615692290?s=21 …

Fighting cancer is tough work but it’s even harder to do with the stress of financial worries and rising medical costs. Anything you can spare to help @nffc65 is a welcome donation. Thanks for your consideration. https://twitter.com/nffc65/status/1182088240578228225?s=21 …

Rob could really use all the donations he can get, no matter the amount. If you’re able to help out it would be very much appreciated. Many thanks in advance.https://twitter.com/nffc65/status/1216349931037843457 …