Three and a half years ago, I got a phone call from my older sister Kim. You could tell that she was upset. She slowly told me that she, the person I thought was stronger than Hercules when we were kids, was diagnosed with Stage 3 Ovarian Cancer. It was one of the saddest and hardest things to hear. When you hear of a loved one having cancer, you feel so helpless. You wanna scream till the world shakes because there is nothing you can do to take away the agony they will be facing for years or even for the rest of their life. We cant make the cancer go away and we cant take all the uncomfortable, painful, moments from them. What we can do is lend our support to help ease their mind and take some of the burden that the hundreds of thousands of dollars in bills cause.
Every year put on a variety show call Queer Quistmas and 3 years ago when I decided to take all proceeds and give them to my sister who has been struggling to make ends meet due to all the bills piling up from her ovarian cancer operations, and checkups and chemo and visits and everything that comes along with having the terrible disease. She is now in her 3rd year having cancer and it has come back twice since the first diagnoses. Our family is still holding optimism and keeping her spirits high. I felt that I needed to do something; I’m her brother for heaven’s sake.
The first year we raised 1200 dollars and we were so pleased and thankful, but I have faith that this year we can do better. With you help we can get this nonprofit started and become a legit nonprofit that will do so much good and bring so much joy in a situation that is so hard and painful. Every Christmas season my trusted staff (my parents and sisters) will choose a family (or more depending on how much we can raise in a year) and pay some of the extra expenses such as rent/mortgage, electric, gas, car or whatever bill so they can have more money to enjoy the holiday.
I choose Mississippi Studios because something magical happened 2 years ago. Something so brilliant and wonderful happened that touched everyone who attended. We were all moved in our hearts and for the first time in many years I felt the power of the holiday season. Thought last year I moved it to Q Center, I decided that this year, with the recent discovery of yet another tumor in my sister, that I would go back to where we truly felt the power of giving I’m so thankful for the Q Center and Logan Lynn for provided a space last year, so there is absolutely no bad blood between us, just thought a move back to Mississippi would be nice.
The line up is still forming and I am still looking for more!! The complete lineup is a secret till day of the show!! Happy holidays
