A GoFundMe page is raising money to help pay for ongoing cancer treatment for Valerie Harper, known best for her iconic role of Rhoda on The Mary Tyler Moore Show. The donations are meant “to ensure she receives the best care possible,” the fundraising page says, as she continues a years-long battle with leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, “a condition that occurs when cancer cells spread into the fluid-filled membrane surrounding the brain, known as the meninges.” She is on a variety of medications and experiencing “extreme physical and painful challenges now with around the clock, 24/7 care immediately needed which is not covered by insurance.”
Valerie is a luminous soul who was a blessing to me while I was writing Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted, not only granting me a helpful interview but also putting me in touch with others and vouching for me. It was a dream come true, given that I idolized her growing up. I hope you’ll join me in sending her healing wishes (and a donation).