Help Nick Lane and Family Through Cancer Recovery

The simplest way to put it is that in February of 2025, my brother, Nick Lane, was diagnosed with throat cancer. Setting aside the fact that he is the most genetically similar person on Earth to myself, my oldest friend, and a beloved husband, father, and son, his illness is felt far and wide by students, former students, families, and whole communities to whom he gave his entire being for decades.

Knowing that navigating the road to recovery was going to take his complete attention, Nick stopped teaching at the end of March. For him, this is maybe the worst part about the whole thing. He loves his students, one and all, and the decision to leave them to focus on himself was counter to all that he is. By all accounts, his departure is felt acutely in the Wisconsin Heights School District, particularly among the young people who counted on him daily for his unique and essential support.

The other day he told me that he planned to have surgery, then maybe radiation ("probably not though, this dude with the cancer robot is really good"), and then he'd be back to executing diabolical schemes of all shapes and sizes. He did have the surgery and was surprised to find out - as we all were - that the pain and limitations that come along with treating this type of cancer are much more severe than he thought. And this past week, he endured a life-threatening complication which just underscores the fact that it'll take more than his natural (well-founded?) bravado to beat this back.

The only thing he's ever confessed to me that he's worried about with this is how he is going to take care of his family. He's got some things in place that will help bridge the gap while he's not working but medical costs put his loved ones at risk just as they do for every other family in America. The fact is that, even though he will certainly benefit from the finest medical care in the country, he's also saddled with an exorbitant maximum out-of-pocket which will roll over on July 1st, causing him to have to pay it twice this year.

100% of the funds given to support Nick on this journey will be used to offset costs related to his medical care (that's pretty much the only way he was even going to consider giving his blessing to me to set this up).

Nick has changed hundreds, probably thousands, of lives for the better and, knowing him, will continue to add to that number once he comes out the other side of this thing. Thanks for considering helping out.