Joe McGee & Jess Rinker-Ongoing Cancer Treatment
Donation protected
Joe’s esophageal cancer has been identified as stage 4, and he completed a round of chemotherapy and radiation treatment. The PET scan in mid-May showed that the tumors have been reduced but the cancer in his lymph nodes has not been eradicated. Because of this, he’s still not a candidate for surgery. They are now meeting with multiple providers to determine their options and next course of action. Regardless, while he’s enjoying a reprieve at the moment, they both know it’s temporary. Treatments will need to continue, at the very least.
During treatment, Joe and Jess had been living in a hotel during the week, so he could attend to daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. Your generous donations have helped them pay their new living expenses, including hotel, food and supplies, medical bills, and care for their home and pets while they were away. Thankfully, they found a lovely house to rent in Winchester, so they can be close to the hospital for the next stage of this disease. They are grateful to not have the burden of hotel living and long commutes, but a double housing bill is taking its toll. Selling a remote mountain home can prove challenging, especially as they have been absent from it and unable to keep up with daily maintenance.
Jessica has had to turn down full time work in order to travel to the hotel and care for Joe during treatment. Her future employment options are uncertain, given the precarious nature of the disease and uncertainty of the treatment path.
Your early contributions have been invaluable. I cannot stress how essential your gift has been in helping them through this ordeal.
Here’s how your contribution has helped:
Medical: $4,000
Hotel: $4,500
Dog/House Sitter: $900
Gas: $450
Rental deposit and moving: $6,730
Housing/Utilities for May & June: $7,000
Total: $23,580
As they embark on the next stage of this disease, I ask you again to consider donating to ease their financial burden in the coming months. And please share this request as widely as possible.
Your contribution will allow Jess to remain flexible with part-time work, so she can provide Joe care as needed. It will help to bridge the gap between their current income and their living expenses as they try to sell their home and hold down two housing bills on. The next several months hold a lot of uncertainties, and your contribution will help alleviate money as one of them.
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Original posting:
Help Joe McGee and Jessica Rinker pay their medical bills and living expenses while Joe undergoes treatment for squamous cell carcinoma esophageal cancer. Together, as writers for children, they have over twenty-five published books. Joe also works as the Writing Coordinator at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, a position he just recently started.
They were married in 2018 and have 6 children between them, ages 15-24. They live together with their two dogs, and Jess’ daughter, Ainsley, in the mountains of West Virginia. In an interview with fellow writer, Rebecca Evans, they were described in this way: “Gloria Steinem and Aliens. Brenda Berkman and Peanut Butter. These are unlikely pairings, until you meet Jess Rinker and Joe McGee, a power-author couple who, despite their different approaches to craft and writing life, have found a way to thrive together, creating art that matters for our next generation. Jess pursues contemporary trailblazing women, like Steinem and Berkman, for her picture book biographies. Joe captures a monster-approach through aliens, zombies, werewolves, and vampires for his picture books and his Junior Monster Scouts chapter book series.... Their own weave, navigating art and life, is as intricate and beautiful as the symbolic bond that holds them.”
In December of 2022, Joe began experiencing difficulty swallowing and weight loss, along with severe congestion and flu symptoms. He was treated for the flu and while those symptoms subsided, the others persisted and worsened. After tests for pneumonia and bronchitis, they never expected to be in an oncologist office just a few weeks later with an esophageal cancer diagnosis. Having no genetic, lifestyle, or environmental markers, Joe’s diagnosis was unexpected and terrifying.
Joe and Jessica are facing several months of intense medical care, including a gastric feeding tube, daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy treatments, and possible surgery. With the hospital over an hour and a half away, they find themselves needing to stay in hotels and find care for their home and pets while they are away. Their expenses are increasing while they experience a reduction in income.
Living expenses for the next 6 months will be approximately $46,000. This includes mortgage payments on the West Virginia home, hotels in Winchester, anticipated medical and prescription payments, food and gas, care for their dogs, and other incidentals.
Please consider donating to help support their daily lives and provide Joe and Jess with as much peace of mind and support as possible during this difficult time.
To stay up to date with Joe's journey, connect with their Caring Bridge site: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joemcgee13
You can also follow Joe's personal blog here: https://joemcgeeauthor.wixsite.com/quirkville
More from their interview with Rebecca Evans, can be found here: https://www.thenormalschool.com/blog/2019/4/3/interview-with-joe-mcgee-and-jess-rinker-by-rebecca-evans To learn more about their creative work, check out these sites: Joe’s author page: https://www.joemcgeeauthor.com Jess’s author page: https://jessrinker.com Creative Partnerships blog: https://pantserandplotter.blog/2022/12/27/this-is-us/
During treatment, Joe and Jess had been living in a hotel during the week, so he could attend to daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy. Your generous donations have helped them pay their new living expenses, including hotel, food and supplies, medical bills, and care for their home and pets while they were away. Thankfully, they found a lovely house to rent in Winchester, so they can be close to the hospital for the next stage of this disease. They are grateful to not have the burden of hotel living and long commutes, but a double housing bill is taking its toll. Selling a remote mountain home can prove challenging, especially as they have been absent from it and unable to keep up with daily maintenance.
Jessica has had to turn down full time work in order to travel to the hotel and care for Joe during treatment. Her future employment options are uncertain, given the precarious nature of the disease and uncertainty of the treatment path.
Your early contributions have been invaluable. I cannot stress how essential your gift has been in helping them through this ordeal.
Here’s how your contribution has helped:
Medical: $4,000
Hotel: $4,500
Dog/House Sitter: $900
Gas: $450
Rental deposit and moving: $6,730
Housing/Utilities for May & June: $7,000
Total: $23,580
As they embark on the next stage of this disease, I ask you again to consider donating to ease their financial burden in the coming months. And please share this request as widely as possible.
Your contribution will allow Jess to remain flexible with part-time work, so she can provide Joe care as needed. It will help to bridge the gap between their current income and their living expenses as they try to sell their home and hold down two housing bills on. The next several months hold a lot of uncertainties, and your contribution will help alleviate money as one of them.
————
Original posting:
Help Joe McGee and Jessica Rinker pay their medical bills and living expenses while Joe undergoes treatment for squamous cell carcinoma esophageal cancer. Together, as writers for children, they have over twenty-five published books. Joe also works as the Writing Coordinator at Blue Ridge Community and Technical College, a position he just recently started.
They were married in 2018 and have 6 children between them, ages 15-24. They live together with their two dogs, and Jess’ daughter, Ainsley, in the mountains of West Virginia. In an interview with fellow writer, Rebecca Evans, they were described in this way: “Gloria Steinem and Aliens. Brenda Berkman and Peanut Butter. These are unlikely pairings, until you meet Jess Rinker and Joe McGee, a power-author couple who, despite their different approaches to craft and writing life, have found a way to thrive together, creating art that matters for our next generation. Jess pursues contemporary trailblazing women, like Steinem and Berkman, for her picture book biographies. Joe captures a monster-approach through aliens, zombies, werewolves, and vampires for his picture books and his Junior Monster Scouts chapter book series.... Their own weave, navigating art and life, is as intricate and beautiful as the symbolic bond that holds them.”
In December of 2022, Joe began experiencing difficulty swallowing and weight loss, along with severe congestion and flu symptoms. He was treated for the flu and while those symptoms subsided, the others persisted and worsened. After tests for pneumonia and bronchitis, they never expected to be in an oncologist office just a few weeks later with an esophageal cancer diagnosis. Having no genetic, lifestyle, or environmental markers, Joe’s diagnosis was unexpected and terrifying.
Joe and Jessica are facing several months of intense medical care, including a gastric feeding tube, daily radiation and weekly chemotherapy treatments, and possible surgery. With the hospital over an hour and a half away, they find themselves needing to stay in hotels and find care for their home and pets while they are away. Their expenses are increasing while they experience a reduction in income.
Living expenses for the next 6 months will be approximately $46,000. This includes mortgage payments on the West Virginia home, hotels in Winchester, anticipated medical and prescription payments, food and gas, care for their dogs, and other incidentals.
Please consider donating to help support their daily lives and provide Joe and Jess with as much peace of mind and support as possible during this difficult time.
To stay up to date with Joe's journey, connect with their Caring Bridge site: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/joemcgee13
You can also follow Joe's personal blog here: https://joemcgeeauthor.wixsite.com/quirkville
More from their interview with Rebecca Evans, can be found here: https://www.thenormalschool.com/blog/2019/4/3/interview-with-joe-mcgee-and-jess-rinker-by-rebecca-evans To learn more about their creative work, check out these sites: Joe’s author page: https://www.joemcgeeauthor.com Jess’s author page: https://jessrinker.com Creative Partnerships blog: https://pantserandplotter.blog/2022/12/27/this-is-us/
Organizer and beneficiary
Rebecca Rinker Horowitz
Organizer
Winchester, VA
Joseph McGee
Beneficiary