Watch: Amy Malmgren is interviewed along with the rest of The Denver Actors Fund Board of Directors on a recent episode of “In Focus With Eden Lane.”
Update: So there is a reason we have legal counsel! The Denver Actors Fund has a stipulation that was unanimously approved by its board of directors upon founding that states board members are ineligible for financial gifts. That means no matter how badly we want to help Amy Malmgren with funds to help defer her medical expenses, we are legally prohibited from doing so. What we can do is help get Amy’s story out there, and encourage the community to support Amy Malmgren directly.
Financial-aid recipient: Highlands Ranch resident Amy Malmgren, a graduate of Arvada High School and Metro State College, has often appeared in Magic Moments’ annual musical revue extravaganza, most recently in 2014. She also serves as Treasurer on the Denver Actors Fund’s Board of Directors. Amy actually sits on several boards, and she prefers to concentrate on issues that impact the health, independence and quality of life of individuals living with spinal-cord injury or disease.
Her story: Amy was paralyzed in a near-death car accident 24 years ago. Since then, she has battled infection, illness and overcoming the stigma of living with a disability. All while raising three young men as a single mother, including two now 16-year-old twins. Nine months ago, Amy was diagnosed with Stage 4 bladder cancer. (There is no Stage 5.) After a strict regimen of chemotherapy and radical surgery, doctors miraculously declared her cancer-free in October. But her celebration was short-lived. Her cancer has returned, again as Stage 4. It has metastasized from her lymph nodes, spread into the small intestines and has possibly reached the pubic bone. Amy is taking on the challenge with good grace: “I beat it before, and I will beat it again,” she says. But Amy’s first fight against cancer depleted her savings. She currently owes Swedish Hospital $2,358, before the next round of treatment begins. Amy is self-employed, but had to let many of her contracts go last year while she focused on chemotherapy and surgery.
How we will help: See the update above
How you can help us help Amy Malmgren more: Amy will face significant new costs associated with her next round of treatment. Any support you can help her with would be greatly appreciated, and will be directly applied to medical costs. If you would like to direct a specific donation to help Amy Malmgren, you have two options:
Online: Click here to go to a GoFundMe page that has been set up to support Amy.
Postal: Checks made out to Amy Malmgren may be sent to 4594 Osceola St., Denver, CO 80212. They will be forwarded directly to her. Checks must be made out to Amy Malmgren.
A message from Amy Malmgren: “Life is crazy sometimes. We don’t get to choose all our paths, or I certainly wouldn’t have chosen cancer. But here I am again. With lots (and I mean LOTS) of prayers, I beat the highest stage of cancer in just four months, and I plan on doing it again. Please pray for my healing and ask everyone you know to do the same. If you can donate, wonderful. If your prayers are what you can offer, that is wonderful, too. I appreciate any and all of it. Thank you, family and friends for all your generous support and may God bless you!
ABOUT THE DENVER ACTORS FUND:
The Denver Actors Fund is a modest source of immediate, situational relief when members of the local theater community find themselves in medical need. In addition to financial relief, a team of more than 60 Denver Actors Fund volunteers offers good neighborly assistance including meal prep and delivery, child care, transportation, errands, construction, pet-sitting and more. For more information, visit our web site at www.DenverActorsFund.Org
