Elliott says… “I received this from my friend, the great bass player Will Lee. He´s asking for help for a dear friend of ours who is in desperate medical and financial times at the moment. Here´s what Will wrote me…"
JERRY FRIEDMAN One of New York's Finest NEEDS YOUR HELP!
To his dear friends, loved ones, fellow players, and all others who may have enjoyed listening to his masterful guitar work on hit records such as: Midnight Train To Georgia (Gladys Knight) Your Love's A Supernatural Thing (Ben E. King) Swearin' To God (Frankie Valli) plus many Hit albums with diverse artists as Paul Simon, Brecker Bros., The Temptations, Bonnie Raitt, Herbie Mann, Ashford & Simpson, Gloria Gaynor and so many others. WE URGENTLY NEED YOUR HELP. It is critical that Jerry receive specialised medical treatment as soon as possible. Jerry has been facing huge medical challenges during the last 9 months. In June of 2008, he was diagnosed with Stage 4 rectal cancer. Because his illness was quite advanced at the time of diagnosis, it was necessary to act quickly. He immediately began chemotherapy with aggressive rounds of radiation treatments, until it was felt that Jerry was ready for surgery. These treatments were rigorous and draining, but Jerry proceeded valiantly. The surgery was deemed successful, however his body had been battered and recovery has been difficult. Still, Jerry´s spirit somehow brought him through all that and he began chemotherapy again in January. Many of you (unfortunately) know from your own experiences, that these treatments can be horrific.
We consulted with a renowned doctor/pioneer and practitioner in the field of stem cell transplantation. After reviewing his records, he determined that Jerry's condition demanded immediate action if he were to survive the chemotherapy, as its toxic effects were becoming evident in Jerry´s already weakened body. We are trying to arrange for Jerry to receive stem cell treatments in the next month. This is will necessitate Jerry going to a clinic in the Dominican Republic for a one-time infusion of stem cells. As I´m sure you all know, it is not legal to do the treatments in the US at this time. The doctor also referred Jerry to a clinic in Germany that has had an astounding record of fighting cancer and preventing its recurrence. Using both conventional and holistic methods the clinic´s survival statistics for Jerry´s type/stage of cancer jump from 5 or 10% to 85%. Please be aware that we have done extensive research into the many philosophies and methods of cancer treatment since the day of diagnosis and look at all the literature and statistics with a critical eye. At this time we feel that this path offers Jerry the best possible chance to survive. The time factor is crucial. Recently, Jerry has been struggling financially, and is unable to work due to his illness. He is living very modestly in senior subsidised housing on an extremely tight budget. We are desperately appealing to you to contribute financially to help Jerry fight for his life. I know these are tough times for us all, but Jerry does not have the luxury to wait for better times. For all of us who love Jerry and who have been touched by the beautiful music he makes, this is a time to come forward. Please be as generous as you feel you are able. Any contribution, no matter the size, will be deeply appreciated.
PS from Elliott: “I have mounted a page on my site with a PayPal "Donate" button, which in this day and age is a lot more convenient than cheque-writing for many: http://www.elliott-randall.com/jerry.htm
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