Current:Home > Invest'Home Alone' star Ken Hudson Campbell has successful surgery for cancer after crowdfunding -Golden Summit Finance
'Home Alone' star Ken Hudson Campbell has successful surgery for cancer after crowdfunding
View
Date:2025-04-15 10:08:35
Ken Hudson Campbell, known for his role as Santa in "Home Alone," crowdfunded his way to a successful cancer surgery after losing his SAG-AFTRA health insurance, according to his daughter.
Campbell's daughter Michaela organized a GoFundMe page on Dec. 1 ahead of the actor's planned "10-hour surgery" on Dec. 7. Campbell was diagnosed with cancer in October after "a tumor had elusively grown on the bottom of his mouth and it began encroaching on his teeth," his daughter wrote in the crowdfunding page description.
Campbell was diagnosed with squamous cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer that is not typically life-threatening, his daughter told People. It can spread to other parts of the body if left untreated, according to Mayo Clinic.
His fundraiser for surgery surpassed its goal of $100,000 with top donations from other Hollywood figures including Steve Carell, Yeardley Smith and "Big Bang Theory" co-creator Bill Prady.
Campbell's daughter later shared that his "cancer was removed successfully, and his jaw bone has been reconstructed from his fibula and attached."
"The day after surgery, they took him off the respirator. He is in very good condition. He's giving us hand signals at times, writing his thoughts down and trying his hardest to communicate with us, even though he cannot speak," she added. "He's been making small improvements in different ways as each day goes by."
During the surgery, "a large part of his jawbone" was set to be removed, "along with his lymph nodes, and part of his leg bone. Surgeons plan to reconstruct a new jaw for Ken from this leg bone, install it, and treat him with radiation. He will have a 6-month recovery period & Chemo may be needed afterwards as well," his daughter wrote.
Shannen Dohertysays she learned of ex's alleged affair shortly before brain tumor surgery
She added: "Even though physical therapy and speech therapy are covered, we are anticipating huge out-of-pocket costs for caregivers/skilled nursing, insurance premiums, medical equipment, transportation, dental implants, dentures and who knows what else."
Before Campbell's recent surgery, the actor was getting routine checks until he lost his health insurance in January. In that time, his cancer became more aggressive, his daughter told People.
"He lost his health insurance with SAG and he had to stop going to the same doctors that he had been going to for a while about his mouth. And it discouraged him a little bit and he just didn't really check on it," she said. "I think it was really shocking for us because we thought he was taking care of it, at least I did. It was really hard for me to hear and I had a hard time emotionally."
In addition to "Home Alone," Campbell has had minor roles in "Groundhog Day," "Armageddon," "Coyote Ugly" and more. He is slated to voice a character named Boomer in Paramount+ series "Adventures in Wonder Park" in 2024, according to IMDb.
Hilary Swank sues SAG-AFTRA Health Planover ovarian cyst coverage: 'It’s time we are treated fairly'
veryGood! (61214)
Related
- Tarte Shape Tape Concealer Sells Once Every 4 Seconds: Get 50% Off Before It's Gone
- Bullfight advocates working with young people to attract new followers in Mexico
- Community health centers serve 1 in 11 Americans. They’re a safety net under stress
- Hollywood has been giving out climate change-focused awards for 33 years. Who knew?
- North Carolina justices rule for restaurants in COVID
- How to find your Spotify Daylist: Changing playlists that capture 'every version of you'
- With the World Stumbling Past 1.5 Degrees of Warming, Scientists Warn Climate Shocks Could Trigger Unrest and Authoritarian Backlash
- Nitrogen hypoxia execution was sold as 'humane' but witnesses said Kenneth Smith was gasping for air
- From family road trips to travel woes: Americans are navigating skyrocketing holiday costs
- Chiefs are in their 6th straight AFC championship game, and this is the 1st for the Ravens at home
Ranking
- Meet first time Grammy nominee Charley Crockett
- Bangladesh appeals court grants bail to Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus in labor case
- Iraq and US begin formal talks to end coalition mission formed to fight the Islamic State group
- Massachusetts man wins Keno game after guessing 9 numbers right
- Friday the 13th luck? 13 past Mega Millions jackpot wins in December. See top 10 lottery prizes
- Nearly 25,000 tech workers were laid off in the first weeks of 2024. Why is that?
- GOP legislatures in some states seek ways to undermine voters’ ability to determine abortion rights
- Haus Labs Review: How Lady Gaga's TikTok-Viral Foundation, Lip Lacquers and More Products Hold Up
Recommendation
Are Instagram, Facebook and WhatsApp down? Meta says most issues resolved after outages
'Wait Wait' for January 27: With Not My Job guest Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen
Revelers in festive dress fill downtown Tampa, Florida, for the annual Gasparilla Pirate Fest
Crash involving multiple vehicles and injuries snarls traffic on Chesapeake Bay bridge in Maryland
Newly elected West Virginia lawmaker arrested and accused of making terroristic threats
'Wait Wait' for January 27: With Not My Job guest Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen
LeBron James outduels Steph Curry with triple-double as Lakers beat Warriors in double-OT
Police: Philadelphia officer shot after scuffle with person in store; 2nd officer kills suspect