Just days after it was launched, the GoFundMe campaign to help L7 bassist Jennifer Finch fight an aggressive form of brain cancer has easily exceeded its goal thanks to a flood of generous donations from the grunge rocker’s musical peers and hundreds of smaller pledges from fans.
With an initial goal of $350,000, at press time the campaign had raised nearly $365,000 to help cover professional in-home nursing care, physical and speech therapy, medical equipment, home-care expenses and to help complete an unnamed “significant creative project” that was scheduled for release next year.
“A huge thank you to everyone who has donated to and shared Jennifer’s campaign. Because of your support, we have officially reached our goal,” read a note on Wednesday (July 15) on Finch’s Instagram. “These funds will allow Jennifer to receive the care she needs in the comfort of her own home, surrounded by the people who love her. Any additional funds raised will go toward preserving Jennifer’s artistic legacy and supporting her upcoming creative projects.”
A note from a day earlier promised anyone donating that their support means a lot to Finch and that her team has been sharing their comments and messages with her.
And, like musicians often do when it’s one of their own, Finch’s peers have shown up in a big way, including Bad Religion guitarist/Epitaph Records founder Brett Gurewitz and his wife Gina ($10,000), Garbage ($8,000), Bikini Kill singer Kathleen Hanna ($5,000), Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament ($5,000), Green Day singer Billie Joe Armstrong’s wife Adrienne Armstrong ($5,000), the Crush Foundation ($5,000), Tool singer Maynard James Keenan ($2,500), Warped Tour founder Kevin Lyman ($2,500), Korn guitarist Brian “Head” Welch ($1,000), Fugazi’s Guy Picciotto ($1,000), among others.
In an update on Tuesday (July 14), Finch’s friend Aubree Miller, who organized the GoFundMe, wrote, “We are absolutely BLOWN AWAY by the support, love and how far this campaign went yesterday. We are all so grateful for the community showing up far and wide to support Jennifer. One comment we received said, ‘you have an army behind you,’ and with the support we are receiving we truly feel that. When that comment came in I immediately read it to Jennifer and it touched her so much.”
The GoFundMe noted that, initially, it was believed that a full course of radiation would help get Finch back to normal, but that unforeseen complications have led to multiple surgeries and a “string of difficult setbacks” that have left her with significant physical limitations.
The news about Finch’s illness came two months after her iconic all-female grunge rock band announced the dates for what they’re calling their final Last Hurrah tour, which is slated to kick off on Oct. 6 in San Diego. The bassist’s diagnosis means that she will not be able to join L7 for the dates, which was planned when she was still healthy, though the group noted in their earlier statement on Instagram that Finch asked L7 to continue on with the tour; Tsuzumi Okai will fill in for her on the dates.
“We are all devastated by the news and are surrounding her with love, protecting her privacy and dignity, while helping raise the resources she urgently needs for the care ahead,” L7 singer Donita Sparks said in a separate statement. “Jennifer is family, and we want her to feel the full strength of the community that has loved and supported her for so many years.”
