Bay Area DJ Ras Cue is alive, and we're all thankful for that.
Known as one of the Bay Area's favorite hip-hop reggae DJs, a member of the Urban Umpires DJs and hip-hop group Various Blends, Frank Ras Cue has made an indelible mark on Bay Area night life. Now he needs our support.
He's currently hoping for a kidney transplant and has compounding medical and living expenses. A benefit in June helped his cause and spirits, but due to our current health insurance quagmire (pass the Health Care Reform bill people!) his living situation is again dire. A few weeks ago his status update simply read "Got Food?"
In the public statement below, Ras Cue explains his current health situation, and his hope is palpable.
Stay tuned for a big Ras Cue benefit event in January at Club Six in San Francisco, with an all star line-up presented by RedWineSocial and Umoja Soundsystem.
Ras Cue gives thanks:
I just briefly wanted to say thank you to you all. Your donations and contributions have been a major help and your thoughtfulness goes farther than words can explain. I'm overwhelmed by the love and care you have shown me and forever grateful.
In short, I am presently on dialysis (where my entire bloodstream is taken out of my body through a big needle, run through a dialysis machine that filters it, extracts the waste and cleans my blood removing toxins), essentially what our kidneys are supposed to do. For me, this process takes 3 1/2 hours, I have done three times a week in which I have to maintain low liquid intact (water weight) and a low potassium, low sodium and low phosphorous diet.
December 15 will be my one year anniversary of being on dialysis and i'm bouncing back pretty good after treatments due to maintaining the low liquid intact and diet.
There is much more to the story i will not indulge into now but problems with my insurance and healthcare, the entire system and how it's disfuctional is something I will let be known. I actually almost died NYE '08 when nurses accidently overdosed me with hypertension medication after a rough dialysis session. I had passed out, went into cardiac arrest and was immediately taken to ICU the same night Mr. Oscar Grant died a few doors down.
There is so much more to be told, and I am working with a writer to get this information out there so this will never happen to any of you or your loved ones. Simple things as having a good insurance (Medi-Cal is free if you qualify), yearly physical and bi-annual check-ups with your doctor, check your cholesterol level, checking your high blood pressure (buy a kit at a drug store and do at home), easy on the drinking and drugs, eat right, exercise and get plenty of rest and prevent anything like this from happening. I had the pleasure of my parents passing along their family hypertension and heart disease along with many late deejay nights, late night unhealthy meals, a little drinking and drug usage to put me in this dialysis chair i sit in right now. I would not wish what i go through on a weekly basis on anyone but i am happy to be alive and feel blessed.
There was a time where I had to think about not being here anymore, my family, my daughter...thinking if this is my time, I can't complain...I've been blessed to see the world and know some of the greatest people in it. I've taken the attitude that this is much bigger than me, there are people having it way more harder than me and if this is God telling me to bring awareness to this disease and the organ donor awareness than this is what i will do.
I thank you again, i love you all and thanks to you, you've made my fight easier to bear and inspired me to keep pushing. If there is anything you need from me, all I have and know is available to you. I'm still deejaying, making music and trying to make a difference in the world.
Happy Thanksgiving!
God bless, Frankie a.k.a. Ras Cue
PayPal donations for Ras Cue's medical expenses to: rastacuetip AT gmail DOT com
