A JustGiving page has been set up for Tim Smith, of the band Cardiacs, for urgent medical treatment after he was left with severe brain damage and a condition called dystonia following a cardiac arrest in 2008.
Tim has been cited as “one of the most influential British musicians alive today”, with Radiohead, Blur, Napalm Death, Faith No More, Biffy Clyro and countless other bands naming him and his band, Cardiacs, as a profound inspiration.
Since his cardiac arrest, Tim’s ability to move and speak is minimal. He previously responded well to treatment, however, he is now in his 10th year of rehabilitation and needs urgent care.
Mr Smith said: “The only way I can try and let you know how I feel at the moment is, imagine if you were wearing a skintight bodysuit made of fishnet all around you with electrical pulses going all the time. This is what my body feels like unless I fall asleep.”
A charity called the Raphael Hospital Group, run by Dr. Gerhardt Florschutz, has bought the facility Tim lives in and is able to provide him and his fellow patients with the input necessary to make progress. This, of course, comes at a price and while he waits to hear about the possibility of funding, vital time is being wasted.
Tim’s friends and family are aiming to raise £40,000 so that he can finally afford the care he has needed since the beginning of his illness.
Musician Steven Wilson said: “Tim’s friends and family just want him to be allowed to try to get better. Everyone in his condition deserves that opportunity. Being given the right treatment could allow him to complete musical projects of great beauty that still burn brightly within him. ‘People who could genuinely be described as geniuses are few and far between, But I think Tim is up there, I really do.’
So far more than £2,000 has been donated.
To donate to the page visit https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/timsmith
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About JustGiving
JustGiving is the world’s leading social platform for giving, enabling over 20 million people across 164 countries to raise $4.2 billion since 2001.
As a tech-for-good company, JustGiving re-invests all its profits into the development of world-class technology and innovative tools to fulfil its mission to connect people with the causes they care about.
For more information, visit https://www.justgiving.com.
