Life-Saving Surgery needed for DJ Lord Sear!
Donation protected
DJ Lord Sear is a beloved radio personality, well-known in the Hip Hop community since the 1990s. Sear was hospitalized for five months (Nov. 2021 - March 2022) due to a major CPAP machine recall. In the process, he was taken off of a ventilator and had a tracheal collapse. His voice was gone, and he couldn't work. Sear needed a surgical procedure done so that he’d have an open airway. He had to have a tracheostomy. You can read more details below.
Welcome to the Official Go Fund Me campaign for DJ Lord Sear. Please know that your support is genuinely appreciated. My name is Mona aka Monifa. I’m Lord Sear’s Soul Mate and PR Cheerleader. This fundraiser addresses his past medical expenses, ongoing needs, and upcoming surgery that will be life-saving/life-changing.
There's no way I could raise awareness for him without the help of Bobbito and others who are dear to us, because this really hits home and hurts my heart when I think about everything he’s been through.
Your support can make a huge impact! Please help spread awareness of this call to action for an amazing man who has given so much to others over the years and now needs all the support he can get. I know that this can be a challenging time of the year for many of you. I understand. I’m super appreciative however you contribute to the cause!
Every penny counts! The financial burden of his medical crisis has slowed him down from being able to access all the services he needs. He is so thankful for any gift in any amount. 100% of the funds will be used for him to pay off medical bills, cover ongoing medical expenses and for his upcoming surgery.
*If you really have the time to read, here's some of the specifics, this is ongoing and needs can change. For now, here you go!*
Goals:
Pay off ALL outstanding bills relating to medical care: in-patient, physician, hospital, ER, transport, lab, imaging, surgical, and therapy.
Pay current medical bills
Save for future medical bills *major reconstructive surgery is needed.
Purchase medical equipment: #1 have at least 1 extra CPAP/BiPap Machine available, in addition to the rental he will receive after surgery, ensuring that the manufacturing of parts, etc... is completely different, just in case there's another recall. #2 a new humidification machine for the trach #3 a new portable oxygen machine #4 a portable suctioning machine #5 supplies for the trach not covered by insurance: drain sponges, stoma covers, etc. #6 an adjustable bed to make sleeping with a trach more comfortable and take the pressure off his lungs.
Living Accommodations
Housing: Safe, Clean and Comfortable! A 3+ bedroom, 2+ bath property with parking, laundry hookups and outdoor space would be awesome! (This will allow him to have his own bathroom and for his housemates/guests to have a separate bathroom...***If you have a property that is available, the goal is for him to live within 30 minutes of Mt. Sinai Hospital.
To reach his surgery goals faster he needs a “Dream Team”. He had a team coming to him after he was released from the hospital; however, even w/ health coverage that offsets the costs of the visits, it still adds up. After a couple months he had to stop receiving services.
He needs:
Personal Trainer (5 days per week)
Physical Therapist (5 days per week)
Registered Dietician/Nutritionist
(as needed, preferably 1-2 days per week)
Housemates (24/7 he should have someone with him until he no longer has a trach), housekeeper (weekly)
Health Advocate (as needed).
I know that it will cost a significant amount of money to have all hands on deck...but the longer we wait, the riskier life with a trach becomes and I know that having access to these service providers will help him get "HIS VOICE" back faster by having the surgery sooner rather than later.
So what happened?
Lord Sear was hospitalized last year due to the CPAP machine recall. This created major respiratory problems. His carbon dioxide levels were sky high and his body was shutting down. He spent the first 27 days in the ICU on a ventilator.
Unfortunately, throughout those 27 days, he was taken off the ventilator and had to be intubated again after struggling to breathe on his own. He quickly developed ventilation pneumonia. His doctors warned that his coming off of the ventilator the first time was a real of faith.
The longer you remain on a ventilator, the riskier your outlook becomes. The ICU doctors warned that when he comes off the ventilator for a second time, it could have devastating effects due to the complexity of a medical condition that he sometimes spoke about on his radio show, Pulmonary Hypertension.
A tracheostomy would be the only way to provide a reliable airway. They felt that was the safest way for him to breathe. The initial discussion was that it would be removed after his lungs were fully functional. The tracheostomy was placed and has been his miracle airway since then.
Lord Sear remained in the hospital until mid-March 2022. Life has been so different for him since he’s come home.
In his case, the trach was only supposed to be a temporary solution; however, more than one year later, he still has it. Long term, this can lead to decreased life expectancy.
You might be wondering does he still have a trach? The easiest way to explain this would be to have an expert in the field of thoracic reconstruction discuss tracheal collapse/tracheomalacia. This is a very rare condition, seen more commonly in children, and the need for reconstructive surgery is so rare that when you start researching, you'll find more information on this occurring in puppies than in humans. He still has the trach, because without it, his inner workings will collpase and cut off his airway. For now, the trach is his lifeline.
What are the odds that a man who shares his voice with the world via radio would end up losing that unique, raspy and often silly voice? I want to hear him sing, laugh and climb out of this financial and health crisis stronger than ever!
Thankfully, we had a glimmer of hope a few weeks ago. Exactly one year later, on 11/10/22 from the day that he entered the ICU, he was finally able to have the original trach downsized so that space could now be created around to allow his ‘voice’ to be heard.
I know that he is doing all he can to be optimistic about the future and that this 'voice' he has now is temporary. Over the next 5-6 months, he's got a lot of work to do to prepare for surgery. He's already lost a significant amount of weight, and in addition to weight loss, he has to be in top athletic shape. In order to reach these goals faster, he needs a supportive team at home.
It has been an upward battle, but finally, after several referrals, he was able meet Dr. Genden and his dedicated team at Mt. Sinai Hopsital in Manhatttan. Dr. Genden spoke with a reverberating confidence in his voice when he told Lord Sear that there was absolutely no vocal cord damage and that he would get him back on the radio. This was the good news that he had been waiting months to hear.
World-renowned for the first tracheal transplant, Dr. Genden is an expert the field of Otolaryngology. I am so excited that he was eager help him. These next few months will be critically important for him as he prepares for surgery.
For more information about Dr. Genden:
https://www.mountsinai.org/about/newsroom/2021/mount-sinai-surgeons-perform-first-human-tracheal-transplant-surgery
For more information on Tracheal Collapse/Tracheomalacia
For more information on Tracheal Reconstruction:
For more information on the CPAP recall:
Tracheostomy (more info.):
For more information on DJ Lord Sear and additional ways that you can support him:
DJ Bookings, Media Inquiries, or Donations made via personal check, Zelle, Venmo, CashApp, etc...*please reach out to me:
Instagram: monifa100 https://www.instagram.com/monifa100/
Respectfully,
Mona Giamanco
Organizer
Mona Giamanco
Organizer
New York, NY