Now that things are up and running in a basic form I wanted to call attention to a few important areas of the website.

First and foremost is the Donate page, after all that’s what this is all about, helping friend in need.  Currently we are using PayPal for donations and we encourage you do visit the Donate page link above and move us toward our goal.  PayPal of course does charge us a small transaction fee so if you can the best form of donation is still cold hard cash.

That brings us to the next area of the website, the Contact Us page.  If you need questions answered, like “how do I give Jason a check or cash?”, this is the place for that question.  We want to hear from you so click the link and drop us a note.

On the Events link you will see a Google Calendar which gives details on upcoming fund-raisers and benefits.  If you are a Google user, please subscribe to the calendar by going to the Events page and clicking the +Google Calendar button on the bottom right.

Last of all, but maybe the most important is the Street Team.  We need to get the word out and can use all the help we can get.  Click the link and print out flyers to hand to businesses and individuals.  Soon we will be posting a list of businesses that have already been contacted so we don’t SPAM our local friends with flyers.  If you do hand out flyers please let us know by going to the Contact Us page so we can recognize your efforts and so we don’t also visit the same places.

We have also setup a few social networking pages to aid in community building and awareness.  Become a Fan of the Jason Bush Cancer Fund on Facebook and Follow us on Twitter.

Once again thanks for dropping by and check back often since this site will be frequently update.

-MGMT

Jason Bush, a graduate student in Anthropology at CSU, has recently been diagnosed with stage IIIa testicular cancer.  Jason was diagnosed two days before his health insurance coverage began for the fall semester.  Therefore, once his coverage began, the cancer was considered a pre-existing condition and the insurance will not cover doctor’s appointments, chemotherapy treatment, operations, or lab tests associated with the cancer.

Jason was not able to qualify for many federal and state insurance programs, however he did qualify for the Colorado Indigent Care Program (CICP) which will cover only a percentage of the cost of treatment and care while at Poudre Valley Hospital.  There are many appointments, tests, prescriptions, etc. outside of the hospital that are not eligible for coverage.

Jason is an inspirational, upbeat, and love-filled young man.  Even in these difficult times, Jason keeps an open heart and an amazingly positive attitude.  Jason grew up in West Texas, where he developed his love for the outdoors and archaeology.  In between school and life, Jason hiked the entire the Continental Divide Trail from Canada to Mexico, a 3100-mile journey.

Several years of working as an archeologist in Texas inspired Jason to pursue a M.A. in archeology, which lead to a move to Fort Collins for graduate school at CSU.  This past summer Jason completed his archeology thesis research in Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.  Jason is in the process of writing his thesis and hopes to complete his graduate studies, as initially planned, by May 2010.

Jason is an enthusiastic lover of the outdoors, bikes, and music.  Whether riding on his cruiser strung with red lights or studying at a coffee shop, Jason always has a smile on his face and time for the people around him.

Within the first two months since his diagnosis, Jason’s medical bills already amount to $20,000 with only $15,000 being covered by CICP.  By the end of the initial treatment plan, Jason’s bill is estimated to be at least $120,000.  In addition to mounting medical bills, Jason also has living expenses and no steady source of income.  He is not able to work regularly at his part time job on campus and is using loans and credit cards to make ends meet.

Supporters of Jason around the country are working to raise funds to help Jason with his treatment.  The fund-raising goal of $15,000 will not cover all the medical expenses, but it will greatly help Jason avoid massive debt to pay for his cancer treatment.