Gary the Artist Needs Our Support

March 2024

Gary Baugh is a warm-hearted and hard working man, employed as a graphic designer at one firm in Chico, California for almost two decades while practicing his passion for painting in his spare time. His brilliantly colored art reveals the magic of North American landscapes, and his love of nature, especially mountains.

Gary comes from a family of storytellers and many of us have been entranced by his dramatic tales told in a booming voice with a gentle Southern accent.

When his co-workers bring their children to visit the office, he lights up. He has been known to tear up with pride when he hears about their latest achievements and triumphs as they grow up.

A few weeks ago when Gary couldn’t breathe properly, he went to prompt care and then the ER a few times. A 5 centimeter mass, a large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma, was found on his left lung. Gary was laboring to breathe because this tumor triggered his lungs to fill up with fluid.

Now he is on a regular weekly schedule to have his lungs drained - often more than 2 liters are drained at a time. He is awaiting a treatment plan from an oncologist.

Last month Gary was active. Now he is out of breath when walking across his apartment. The costs of going to the ER multiple times, the 4 days spent in the hospital, many thoracenteses (lung fluid drains), CT scans, etc have mounted to $20,000 so far. That’s the deductible so insurance will start to cover some of the future medical costs but none of the complimentary treatments like high dose vitamin C IVs.

Those of us who love Gary are doing our best to support him - getting him to appointments, bringing him meals, and reading a good book to him when he tires of conversation. While Gary lives alone and has no children, he has many friends and fans far and near. He needs his community to rally around him to get him through this terrible time. If you feel motivated to send him a note of encouragement and / or a donation, please do. Your love and thoughtfulness will be a big lift to him.