Ray Paczkowski, well-known for his amazing keyboard work with bands such as Soule Monde, Vorzca, Viperhouse and the Trey Anastasio Band, recently underwent successful surgery to remove a brain tumor. Unfortunately Ray faces a lengthy period of additional treatment and recovery during which he will be unable to work. This GoFundMe drive will raise funds that will go directly into a dedicated trust account to help Ray with his living expenses and other financial needs.



On March 11th , following several weeks of recurring headaches and nausea, Ray went to the UVM Medical Center in Burlington VT where a scan revealed a significant mass near his brain stem. The following day he was transferred to Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and underwent a 12 hour surgery on March 16th. The tumor was determined to be a type called ependymoma. Follow-on treatment to reduce any chance of recurrence will be four weeks of daily radiation therapy which will begin sometime in late April. The prognosis for his full recovery is good.



In addition to his musical performances, Ray also works as a carpenter to help pay the bills. It is unclear how soon Ray will be able to return to work in either of these fields; at the very least it will be several months. In addition to uncovered medical costs, he needs help with living expenses, travel costs for his radiation treatments and other costs associated with recovery and rehabilitation. Bandmates from TAB and other groups are organizing benefit shows and t-shirt sales to raise money, and local friends and neighbors are pitching in to help him. This online funding drive provides another way for folks near and far who have been touched by his music to make a contribution. Ray is looking forward to getting back out to play for everyone as soon as possible, and our financial contributions will allow him to concentrate on getting better without the added burden of financial distress. We are setting a initial goal of $30,000 to provide Ray financial security during this time. Any contribution is greatly appreciated no matter what size.











About the organizer:

I am a friend of Ray's and live near him in Vermont. I offered to manage this page to make it easier for people to donate to his trust account so that Ray and his family can concentrate on his recovery. All money donated will be transferred directly from GoFundMe to the trust account for Ray on a daily basis: a family member is helping Ray manage the trust account. If you wish to donate to the trust account by a method other than credit or debit card, please contact me directly for details on how to do so.

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