I saw terrible news last night when it was revealed that singer/actor David Johansen was now having a medial crowdfunder that his daughter, Leah Hennessey, was administering in the hopes of easing the financial burdens that have leaned heavily on the singer and his family as he is dealing with a pair of issues that apart, are bad enough. But together, are devastating.

Ms. Hennessy revealed that for the last decade, that Johansen has been under treatment for cancer. And that five years ago he had developed a brain tumor. This is horrible enough, right? But through it all he’s been receiving treatment and that he’s still here is a hugely positive statement. Through it all he maintained his privacy on the issue, but now complications have colored things and it’s now a bigger burden than the singer and his family can cope with.

At the end of November the 75 year old singer had fallen on stairs and had broken his back in two locations. This has been too much of a burden for the singer’s family to bear and it’s complicating his treatment and care. He needs a full-time nurse and physical therapy to recover from the spinal injury as the injury and the complications of the brain tumor are together, more than his family can cope with.

Mara has started a crowdfund site at sweetrelief.org and let’s hope that the love and funds will flow to this crucial Rocker. Last year Matthew Sweet had a stroke and has crowdfunded over a half million dollars since then to help with his rehabilitation. And that’s great for him, but this is David Johansen we are discussing here. A prime mover of ProtoPunk. Would it have even happened without The New York Dolls applying the electrodes to the neck of New York City over 50 years ago? A man who has given much back over his lifetime to the Rock and Blues which have formed him.

Donations of all kinds are accepted at the funding page but there’s also this snazzy little number that will be fun to see people wearing in public. Seeing anyone wearing this out in the wilds will mark them as belonging to a very exclusive club. One with exquisite taste and miles of heart. This fundraising t-shirt is beautiful in pink and white on black and is yours in a unisex version as shown for $35 with a woman’s relaxed fit for only $30.

One warning before you click that link. Among all of the photos of David with his family, there is also a photo of David in his hospital bed that will break your heart. But you know what to do.

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