Mike Ivy Needs Our Help

Oh No! Mike Ivy is sick. Comic, actor, friend, brother, uncle, cousin, mensch, however you know him, you love him. Mike is the guy who remembers everyone’s birthday and makes you feel special whenever he sees you. Mike literally has friends all over the world, and now he needs your help.

On August 1, 2023 while at an audition, Mike’s pacemaker/defibrillator was activated sending him to the ER. While there they noticed a tumorous mass on his neck and some more smaller ones on his spine. He was eventually diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma, a form of blood/bone cancer. He was released from the hospital and was re-admitted 1 week later when his kidney’s started failing. He had a small surgery on August 26 to hopefully fix that problem and he’s optimistic that things will improve. His treatments include rounds of radiation and chemotherapy and so many pills and blood tests that it seems unbearable.

So this fundraiser is to raise funds for Mike’s Myeloma journey: which includes 24 hour care, trips to his cancer treatments, medications, and so many different doctors that it will become a full time job. While he’s on this cancer journey, he should not have to worry if he can afford his medication.

No amount is too small or large (I’m looking at you Bezos).

Mike thanks you all for your prayers and well wishes and loves you all. He can’t wait to see you all again soon.

Comedy Gives Back

We are the safety net for the comedy community.

Being alone onstage is part of the job. Feeling alone off stage is unacceptable.

Founded by Jodi Lieberman, Amber J Lawson and Zoe Friedman, the 501 C3 non-profit organization provides the comedy community with financial crisis relief, mental health and chemical dependency treatment sponsorship and continued community support. If you’d like to donate, please click here.

www.comedygivesback.com

Comedy Gives Back is a non-profit founded by Jodi Lieberman, Amber J Lawson and Zoe Friedman (aka JAZ) that solely benefits stand-up comedians in times of need. Comedy Gives Back supports comedians so they can get back to what they do best, making audiences laugh.

A LITTLE MORE ABOUT WHAT COMEDY GIVES BACK DOES:

Financial crisis relief - we help comedians pay their bills with everything from cable bills, to insurance premiums to rent
Mental health therapy - through our partnerships with mental health providers, we help comedians find and pay for therapy. From one of our 2023 Grantees, “Dr. —----- is the f*%#ing best person ever. I’m now on Lexapro and talking things out with him. I feel like a whole new person. I’ve been so depressed for the past 3 years and in one week I feel so much better. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you, Comedy Gives Back!!!! Wow! Thank you SO much for this! I have felt so good recently and it’s all because of Comedy Gives Back! This is unbelievably kind of y’all. I love Dr. ____ so much. I can’t begin to express my gratitude. I will happily be the poster child for y’all. I feel like y’all have given me my life back. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!”
Chemical dependency treatment - many in our community struggle with addiction. CGB helps find and pay for chemical dependency treatment whether residential or out-patient. Check out Jay Mohr talking about his recovery and CGB: Testimonial Video
COMEDY GIVES BACK HEALTHNET - CGB just launched CGB Healthnet as an alternative to healthcare. It is a smart based app that meets comedians where they are, either on the road or at home. It is not insurance but it is a step in the right direction in supporting comedians’ health and well-being. We are paying for a year of coverage for 100 comedians but the program is available to everyone in the comedy community.

Recently, we added some new programs that support the health & well-being of comedians and the comedy community.

On-going Monthly mediation workshops (in-person and live-streamed)
12-Step Recovery meetings at all comedy festivals
On-going weekly in-person 12-Step recovery meeting in Los Angeles

Comedy Gives Back is a 501(c)(3) Public Charity based in Venice, CA. (EIN 84-1886550) Contributions are tax-deductible for income, gift, and estate taxes to the fullest extent of the law.

Mike Ivy Needs Our Help

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