JD Disalvatore is a ubiquitous fixture in the Los Angeles LGBT activist and filmmaking communities, hard to miss with that shock of white hair and trademark tie. She’s also something of a social power player through her old monthly Smoking Cocktail mixers. On that blog she writes: “I’ve been described as Dorothy Parker if she swallowed Paul Lynde.”
Greg Hernandez, who notes that JD produced “such terrific films as Shelter (one of my favorites, all time), A Marine Story and Elena Undone”, wrote:
JD Disalvatore is a force of nature who has just been diagnosed with breast cancer.
My thoughts and prayers are with this amazing filmmaker whose friends have set up a fund for to help with her medical costs. All you have to do is watch the video below to see what a unique and special person JD is.
The fundraising page – created by filmmaker Elliot London, who says JD gave him his first break in fillmmaking – explains that
“doctors found four large lumps in both breast as well as masses in other areas of the body….JD, like many artists, is a freelancer with no health insurance. It is going to be a very difficult and expensive road ahead. Please consider helping JD as she will have many mounting medical costs and will be unable to work during this process.
London’s support page has raised $28,265 of the $35,000 goal for her six months of chemo and getting a double mastectomy. The fundraiser ends at 11:59pm Pacific on Sunday, Aug. 12.
Here’s the LA Gay & Lesbian Center’s tribute to her when she was given the LACE Award in 2009:
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