# concert for rick gunn



## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

a benefit concert for rick gunn is scheduled for november 30 at the revival bar on college street (http://www.revivalbar.com/):

*For Immediate Release*

*Music community to come out in force for ‘Bash for the Boogieman’ in support of ailing Toronto based guitarist Rick Gunn*

*Toronto**, November 14[SUP]th[/SUP], 2011.* A cross section of some of Toronto’s finest Rock n’ Rollers will be performing to celebrate and support Rick Gunn at an event at the Revival Bar on Wednesday, November 30[SUP]th[/SUP], 2011.

Rick, a highly regarded Toronto guitarist who is in demand both onstage and in the studio, has been diagnosed with Myeloma, a form of cancer that attacks the bone marrow and is often called ‘blood cancer.’

“Yes, the rumours are true,” says Gunn. “I’ve been taken down by cancer. Down, but not out. It’s a highly treatable form and apparently, I’m doing quite well. All involved are extremely optimistic.”

Friends and colleagues are banding together to raise money to help out with Rick’s mounting expenses. These include music scene stalwarts including David Henman, Bob Segarini, Glenn Reid, Sebastian Agnello, actor/singer Lori Alter and others.

“The outpouring of support has been overwhelming,” reports David Henman, who along with Janet Lowe are spearheading the evening. “Silent auction items are piling up and a buzz is growing – it’s going to be a great night.”

For those unable to attend the event or wishing to make an additional donation, online donations can be made at the following secure location: http://www.kapipal.com/rickgunn


Details: Bash for the Boogieman
Date: November 30[SUP]th[/SUP], 2011
Location: The Revival Bar, 783 College St., Toronto
Time: 7:00PM – Midnight. Doors open at 6:30PM
Admission: $15.00


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

View attachment 551


...not sure if this is large enought to view.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

....award-winning guitarist wendell ferguson (www.wendellferguson.com) has signed on to host this event!


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Lets hope there is a good turnout. I will post it up on the GC Facebook and Twitter as well


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## Alex Csank (Jul 22, 2010)

Hope all goes well. This is a great idea! I remember Rick from gigs at the long-gone "Maples Inn" in Pointe Claire (a suburb on Montreal's West Island) from the '70s.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

GuitarsCanada said:


> Lets hope there is a good turnout. I will post it up on the GC Facebook and Twitter as well


 
...thank you for that!!!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Anyone wanting to donate money directly to Rick can do so at:
http://www.kapipal.com/rickgunn

The money will sit in a reserve for the next 14 days and will then be transferred from a PayPal account directly into his bank account around the same time as the concert. All cash raised goes to him. No middle men. No service charges.

Jaimie Vernon,
Contributing writer http://www.cashboxcanada.ca

Author, Canadian Pop Music Encyclopedia
http://jam.canoe.ca/Music/Pop_Encyclopedia/
http://www.bullseyecanada.com/encyclopedia.html

PERSONAL - http://www.reverbnation.com/jaimievernon
- http://radio3.cbc.ca/bands/Jaimie-Vernon
BLOG - http://verminator.livejournal.com
FACEBOOK - http://www.facebook.com/jaimievernon


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

$505 short of their goal. Let's go guys, six days left.

Kick in what you can. The more the merrier!

http://www.kapipal.com/rickgunn


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

SIX DAYS TO GO!

…online donations, and donations to the silent auction, have been great. 
but, we will only get one shot at this – one chance to do it right, and raise enough money to help rick gunn survive financially while his doctors are doing everything they can to make sure he is with us, and healthy, for as long as possible.
please contact janet lowe to purchase advance tickets to the concert, as well as tickets for the 50/50 draw, for yourself and for your friends, family, band mates and co-workers.
telephone - 905 427 7969 
email - [email protected]
looking forward to seeing you on the 30[SUP]th[/SUP]! 
ps please forward this to everyone you can!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...TONIGHT'S THE NIGHT!

ride on
and stay strong
you are my friend
ride on
right or wrong
ride on


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Best of luck with the show


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Good luck with everything David!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...it was astounding. the venue is huge, and we packed it. the atmosphere was amazing, the performances were off the charts, the club owner is wondering if there's more where this came from, and rick gunn was speechless: we raised over fifteen grand for him!

the taylor solidbody went to my ex-wife's boyfriend, a guitar collector who lives in calgary. they kept bdding against each other...LOL!


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

david henman said:


> ...it was astounding. the venue is huge, and we packed it. the atmosphere was amazing, the performances were off the charts, the club owner is wondering if there's more where this came from, and rick gunn was speechless: we raised over fifteen grand for him!
> 
> the taylor solidbody went to my ex-wife's boyfriend, a guitar collector who lives in calgary. they kept bdding against each other...LOL!


Excellent news. Great job by all


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i can't tell you how good it feels to be a part of a musical family.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Congrats on the success of the benefit David!


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

Rick Gunn Fundraiser - Kapipal


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## Alex Csank (Jul 22, 2010)

Done! Please help Rick if you can folks.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...i'm thinking that an update is in order:

last year, rick was diagnosed with third stage myltiple myeloma.
previous to this, he had gone to the hospital many times, over a period of many months, suffering from extreme back pain.
on each occasion, he was given painkillers and sent on his way.
at one point he was forcibly removed from a hospital, and told that it was not a hotel.

finally, his "back pain" reached a point where he became virtually paralyzed, and a friend called an ambulance.
this time, the doctors decided to investigate, and that's when he was finally diagnosed.

we'll never know what might have occurred had they caught this cancer much earlier...

on november 30th 2011 we staged a benefit concert, raising close to $17,000 to help him survive this ordeal financially.
rick began a series of treatments that had him commuting several times a week to either sunnybrook or st margaret's, undergoing all sorts of tests, and getting a variety of treatments including chemotherapy.
early on, he had his stem cells removed, which is the first part of the stem cell transplant procedure. he was scheduled to have them replaced as soon as possible.
at least, that was the plan.

unfortunately for rick, he remained strong, and so kept getting bumped to the back of the line for his stem cell replacement.
all through this, rick endured extreme levels of pain, loss of appetite, inability to sleep and much more.
there were many attempts made to acquire some kind of financial support, all to no avail.
and still, st margaret's hospital continued to postpone his stem cell replacement.
meanwhile, his doctors at sunnybrook took a greater interest, and continued testing.
the results showed that he now had full-blown myeloma.
this was in june or july.
they began blasting him with higher doses of chemo and radiation.
however, they did promise rick that they would personally see to it that the stem cell replacement was scheduled.
rick finally decided enough was enough, and demanded to have the stem cell replacement.
they took him seriously and scheduled him for surgery at st margaret's.
this was roughly 3-4 weeks ago.

the stem cell replacement was done and, according to rick, his immune system recovered within a few days.
however, while in hospital, he contracted c-dificile, as well as a respiratory infection and a stomach infection.
he has since been removed to the care of his daughter.

he is down to 127 pounds and, up until a few days ago, went roughly three weeks without food, liquid or sleep.

despite being frugal, the money we raised is now gone.
much of it spent on gas, parking and maintainence of the beater he uses to for all those hospital visits.
however, most of the money went to prescriptions, medications and other treatments not covered by ohip.

i have to tell you that rick's attitude - his incredible determination to stay positive (or, at the very least, angry), to every day get up and get moving and keep moving, despite the lack of sleep, despite the pain and discomfort, despite the many missteps and miscalculations by his doctors - has been nothing short of astounding. he simply refuses to give in.
not a week goes by that he doesn't come to my office, and we go next door for lunch and to chat.
on many occasions he has come to my studio to jam with me and my friends.

i hesitate to say this, but the worst may be over.
he has slowly started to get tiny amounts of food down, and keep them down.
his doctors finally engaged a nurse to come to his daughter's home every day to spend 4-5 hours hydrating him, via a tube.
and he has finally been getting some sleep, although never for more than an hour or two.

in about a month, he will get the verdict on the success, or failure, of the myeloma treatments.

in the meantime, those of us who are close friends are hoping to raise enough money for him to survive until he is healthy again.
and that is why we have restarted this fund-raising campaign:

Rick Gunn Fundraiser - Kapipal

ride on
and stay strong
you are my friend
ride on
right or wrong
ride on 

david henman


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

Donation sent, hope he pulls through. He has some great friends pulling for him


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## Alex Csank (Jul 22, 2010)

Thanks for the update David. Please send Rick my best wishes and also from my GF Diane. Stay strong Rick!


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