When Fandoms Colide - A Signal Boost
I never imagined that my love of the Yankees and my love of actors and actresses of Stargate Atlantis would collide, but alas, strange things do sometimes happen.
From sheafrotherdon, originally posted by Joe Flanigan...
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/66gtl9
I would like to introduce everyone to my close friend Sarah Geary. Earlier this year she was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. She has been unfortunately declining ever since. Despite the effects of this cruel disease, she manages to continually enrich the lives of those around her in the most amazing ways. My wife Katherine and I have been profoundly effected by her iron will, piercing intellect and abominable charm. It seems like health and spirit have an inverse relationship with Sarah. Her husband Tim has been overwhelmed with the practical and emotional demands of this crisis, all the while attending to a demanding full time job.
At the end of the day, however, the outcome is certain. Sarah will slowly and sometimes painfully diminish toward death. The medical demands and costs are staggering and, in some ways, constitute a second tragedy for the family. They have been living in the guest house of some very generous friends, which gives them proximity to the doctors. They have also been spending many of their weekends with my family in Malibu, where Sarah, Tim and the kids feel genuinely relaxed and welcome in their 'adopted home'. Recently Sarah has lost her speech and we now have to carry her in and out of the house. And while she has been robbed of so much of the communication we all take for granted, she manages to almost vibrate silently with affection for everyone and everything around her.
I feel remarkably blessed in my career. One thing I feel so proud of is the special relationship that we, actors of The Stargate franchises, have with our fans. If there ever was a chip I could cash in on for my success, this would be it. My uncharacteristic seriousness should only underscore the sobering obligation I feel toward Sarah.
I'm asking all of us to rally for Sarah Geary and her family. We can make her last days as comfortable as possible and help Tim and the kids transition to the next chapter of their lives. Unlike donations to a large organization where it is difficult to measure the impact of your contribution, your money will have a direct and immediate impact on her well-being from breathing apparatus' to night nurses. Tim and I will be keep everyone in touch by informing them of the process.
David Hewlett and I are auctioning off a lunch together in Los Angeles. David will be forced to eat lemons and laugh at my same joke that I will continually repeat throughout the meal. Additionally, and perhaps more shockingly, I am auctioning off my trusty skateboard that has reliably transported me around the studio-lot for many years and has appeared in scenes through out the Stargate Atlantis series. Yes, folks, I brought my skateboard to space. Please visit: http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/joeflanigan
So please, join me and my friends in our support of Sara Geary. Look forward to seeing everyone soon.
If, like me, you don't have $1000 for the starting bid on his auctions, and you feel moved to help, you can donate directly to the Geary family in whatever small sum you like at Friends of Sarah Geary.
I've had a copy of Lou Gehrig's 'Luckiest Man' speech on my noticeboard for a long time. In the face of adversity, he still looked to the positive - something I have a lot of respect for and find deeply inspirational - especially when my own medical problems put me in the pit. Knowing how this awful illness robbed him of his skills and then his life...it just makes me incredibly sad to see the three letters 'ALS' together.
I've met Joe Flanigan a few times and he's a nice guy. This has definitely given me a new respect for him - it takes a special person to take on the responsibility of helping to care for a woman who will become increasingly disabled, and to give her family respite. Major props to him and his wife for that.
I really hope that people will take the time to read the information on her site, as linked previously, and if possible, will donate what they can to her family. They need a phenomenal amount of money for her care, and the urgency for it is growing considering how quickly the illness has taken hold. Her letter is especially poignant.
All I really have left to say is:
Sarah might have been given a bad break, but with friends like Joe and Katherine, and generous people standing behind her and her family, she's one of the luckiest women on the face of the Earth.
From sheafrotherdon, originally posted by Joe Flanigan...
http://www.twitlonger.com/show/66gtl9
I would like to introduce everyone to my close friend Sarah Geary. Earlier this year she was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrigs disease. She has been unfortunately declining ever since. Despite the effects of this cruel disease, she manages to continually enrich the lives of those around her in the most amazing ways. My wife Katherine and I have been profoundly effected by her iron will, piercing intellect and abominable charm. It seems like health and spirit have an inverse relationship with Sarah. Her husband Tim has been overwhelmed with the practical and emotional demands of this crisis, all the while attending to a demanding full time job.
At the end of the day, however, the outcome is certain. Sarah will slowly and sometimes painfully diminish toward death. The medical demands and costs are staggering and, in some ways, constitute a second tragedy for the family. They have been living in the guest house of some very generous friends, which gives them proximity to the doctors. They have also been spending many of their weekends with my family in Malibu, where Sarah, Tim and the kids feel genuinely relaxed and welcome in their 'adopted home'. Recently Sarah has lost her speech and we now have to carry her in and out of the house. And while she has been robbed of so much of the communication we all take for granted, she manages to almost vibrate silently with affection for everyone and everything around her.
I feel remarkably blessed in my career. One thing I feel so proud of is the special relationship that we, actors of The Stargate franchises, have with our fans. If there ever was a chip I could cash in on for my success, this would be it. My uncharacteristic seriousness should only underscore the sobering obligation I feel toward Sarah.
I'm asking all of us to rally for Sarah Geary and her family. We can make her last days as comfortable as possible and help Tim and the kids transition to the next chapter of their lives. Unlike donations to a large organization where it is difficult to measure the impact of your contribution, your money will have a direct and immediate impact on her well-being from breathing apparatus' to night nurses. Tim and I will be keep everyone in touch by informing them of the process.
David Hewlett and I are auctioning off a lunch together in Los Angeles. David will be forced to eat lemons and laugh at my same joke that I will continually repeat throughout the meal. Additionally, and perhaps more shockingly, I am auctioning off my trusty skateboard that has reliably transported me around the studio-lot for many years and has appeared in scenes through out the Stargate Atlantis series. Yes, folks, I brought my skateboard to space. Please visit: http://www.charitybuzz.com/auctions/joeflanigan
So please, join me and my friends in our support of Sara Geary. Look forward to seeing everyone soon.
If, like me, you don't have $1000 for the starting bid on his auctions, and you feel moved to help, you can donate directly to the Geary family in whatever small sum you like at Friends of Sarah Geary.
I've had a copy of Lou Gehrig's 'Luckiest Man' speech on my noticeboard for a long time. In the face of adversity, he still looked to the positive - something I have a lot of respect for and find deeply inspirational - especially when my own medical problems put me in the pit. Knowing how this awful illness robbed him of his skills and then his life...it just makes me incredibly sad to see the three letters 'ALS' together.
I've met Joe Flanigan a few times and he's a nice guy. This has definitely given me a new respect for him - it takes a special person to take on the responsibility of helping to care for a woman who will become increasingly disabled, and to give her family respite. Major props to him and his wife for that.
I really hope that people will take the time to read the information on her site, as linked previously, and if possible, will donate what they can to her family. They need a phenomenal amount of money for her care, and the urgency for it is growing considering how quickly the illness has taken hold. Her letter is especially poignant.
All I really have left to say is:
Sarah might have been given a bad break, but with friends like Joe and Katherine, and generous people standing behind her and her family, she's one of the luckiest women on the face of the Earth.