On the evening of Wednesday May 29th, Science Mike was hospitalized for acute chest pains. After several days and numerous tests he was released from the hospital with a diagnosis of Pericarditis, a condition characterized by inflammation of the tissues around the heart, and the recommendations of his medical team to make drastic lifestyle, diet, and work changes or risk the threat of a fatal heart attack in the near future, or at quite literally any moment. He was immediately put on medical rest, and was given a list of rigorous recommendations about what he could do make the medical, behavioural, and psychological changes necessary to stay alive. He was also slapped with an overwhelming set of medical bills for his hospital stay and required treatment. The irony is likely not lost on you that a recommendation to eradicate stress to prevent a future heart attack was immediately followed by a series of medical bills too mountainous to pay.



You may be surprised to know that he has been facing a health crisis, and overwhelming medical bills. While the hospital stay and required follow-up treatment have been financially overwhelming, these events have compounded the challenges (both financial, and logistical) of navigating an important but private medical issues (which the family does not wish to discuss at this time). Together, the existing medical issue and Mike's hospital stay have created an experience too heavy for them to carry on their own. This is where we as his community step in. Because in characteristic self-effacing Mike fashion, he has not asked for help. But for those of us have been touched in some way by the deeply compassionate and brilliant human that he is, now is our opportunity to return back to him some of the care and support he has offered to so many of us.



We have set up this fund to pay for Mike's medical bills, which are growing as he continues his post-hospitalization treatment, and to offset the costs of his need to temporarily withdraw from work while focusing on his treatment and medical appointments. The 50k that we are setting as our goal only covers a fraction of the bills that have accrued, and we are hoping that as his community we can go above and beyond to support Mike and his family on this long road to recovery by exceeding our goal by as much as possible.



Join with us in supporting Mike in his family. When you contribute to this fund you are joining the chorus of all of us who are saying: Mike, we love you, we are so glad you are alive, we treasure you, and we are behind you as you heal. You are loved.

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