I don't know if this is legitimate or not … I hope that it is (in a funny sort of way, not that I would wish cancer on anyone), and if it is, maybe we need to give this person a little slack as people react to a diagnosis like this in different ways.
Irregardless, if you want to show a little support toward other people with cancer, my band will be playing at Showcase Live in Foxboro MA on Sat. June 16th. The concert is in honor of Matt Deveney, Playing Dead's original keyboard player. Matt passed away in June 2007 from a rare form of stomach cancer that is not hereditary, or caused by anything other than chance.
Here's a photo of Matt:
Matty was only in his early 30s when we lost him. He started having some stomach pains, went to the doctor, and was diagnosed with a condition called GIST, which is a form of intestinal cancer. He played one last gig with the band before he became too ill to participate, and he was gone just a couple of months later.
Matty was a kind soul, he never played flashily or sought the spotlight, he was content to hide beneath his Red Sox cap with a big grin on his face, eyes closed, and bopping back and forth to the music like Melvin Seals. He was a big guy, but as gentle as a teddy bear. He only sang a couple of tunes, but usually brought down the house when he did.
A year after he passed, we did a benefit at the Museum of Science in Boston for Matt's doctor, who researches GIST at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute here in Boston. We raised more than $25,000 that night.
We're doing it again this year. Playing Dead will be doing a couple of sets, but there will also be a silent auction with some really great items up for bids, including signed items from Trey Anastasio and Phish (Matt was a big Phish fan), items from the Dead, tickets to Bruins, Celtics, Red Sox and Patriots games, free beer for a year from Sam Adams, and even a private acoustic performance by Playing Dead in your living room.
I hope if you live in the Boston area, you'll consider coming to the show, and letting other kind people you know know about it. If you are not in the area, or can't attend, I hope you'll consider buying a ticket anyway. There are various levels of support, from $25 on up. Every cent goes to Dana Farber; the band, vendors, and even the venue are donating their time and effort to try to help other people who might have the misfortune to contract this disease.
I will post more about this later, but it seemed an opportune time with this thread coming up.
Here's a link to ticket sales:
http://www.showcaselive.com/event-sched ... r=2012#852
Here's a photo of Matt with the band onstage at one of the last shows he played with us. May he rest in peace.