Erik Jensen, 53, has been diagnosed with stage four colorectal cancer and his family has expressed concerns about how he’s going to pay for the necessary treatment. The Walking Dead star’s wife, Jessica Blank, and other loved ones announced his diagnosis on a GoFundMe page made to help pay for the treatment and other expenses. The financial goal is set to $300,000 and they revealed they’re optimistic about his health journey but are concerned he may lose his SAG-AFTRA health insurance amid the ongoing strike.
“The family has gotten health insurance through SAG (and occasionally WGA) for the past 23 years. Due to the strikes, the nonexistence of streaming residuals, and the fact that Erik may be recovering from major surgery during the earnings period to qualify for SAG insurance, they are facing a serious risk of losing their insurance,” a statement on the page reads.
In addition to funds for the treatment, Erik’s family is hoping donations will help them keep their home and “maintain some sort of stability” for his daughter Sadie, 13, during the difficult time. “As many of you know, Erik is a deeply devoted father to 13-year-old Sadie, who’s the light of his life; an incredible husband to Jessica, his partner in art and life for the last 23 years; and a profoundly hardworking, generous artist who has spent decades committed to creating work in service of healing, justice, and making the world a better place,” the family wrote.
“He is one of the most hardworking, loving, truthful and devoted people we know,” they continued. “He needs to help his daughter grow up. He needs to stick around for the beautiful community he and Jess have built. And he has a lot more art to make in the world. The cancer has metastasized to his liver, but Erik is young and strong (cutting a film during chemo, working full-time as a director and writer throughout) and his doctors have a shot at shrinking the tumors enough to do two very major surgeries and get them all out.”
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‘He is incredibly resilient and strong; Erik is a survivor,” they further shared. “We know he can make it through this, come out the other side, and continue to make great work and support his community for years to come. But Erik and his family are in for the fight of their lives, and they need your support.”
Before Erik’s latest health struggle, he survived a brain aneurysm last year. He was home when it happened and luckily recovered after getting help. Just four weeks later, he was back on stage for a performance.