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How Musicians Lifeline Was Started

After a high school rock and roll band entry into musical performance, I finished college only to stumble into the trades in carpentry. Having put my musical involvements aside for about 30 years I was given the opportunity by Burt Teague and Rob Fried to Jam weekly and blow the dust off any playing abilities I possessed.

With Rob’s increasing health problems, someone thought to throw him a Benefit Gig shortly before his demise to POEMS Syndrome.  Many people haven’t heard of the syndrome, which the Mayo Clinic describes as:

  • POEMS syndrome is a rare blood disorder that damages your nerves and affects many other parts of the body.
  • POEMS syndrome can be misdiagnosed because the signs and symptoms mimic those of other disorders. POEMS syndrome progresses rapidly and may become life-threatening, so early diagnosis is important.
  • Treatment for POEMS syndrome may improve your symptoms but does not cure the condition. Treatment options include radiation therapy, chemotherapy and peripheral blood stem cell transplant.

Wouldn’t it be great to be able to help someone in need get medical attention, early on, before it was too late to count? A “rainy day fund” to pay for an early consultation, or test, or cover the rent while someone makes that recovery.

Raising the money in advance of need is how this all started in 2010 when The Southern New England Musicians Fund, Inc. was founded. The name defined our primary area of focus. With the adoption of bylaws and the name change to Musicians Lifeline, Inc. in October of 2014, the Organization was granted IRS 501 (C) (3) status.

We believe that great things are possible for those we help given our new IRS status.

Kat Sarracco

Kat Sarracco is a technologist and the general manager of Neko-Productions.