Rachel Pollock Appeal By Neil Gaiman, Gail Simone, Shelly Bond & More

Rachel Pollack is a World Fantasy and Arthur C Clarke Award-winning science fiction writer, best known in thc comic book sphere for writing Doom Patrol for DC Vertigo as well as New Gods, Time Breakers and The Never Ending Party. A trans creator, she created Coagula, DC Comics’ first explicitly trans superhero, in 1993. About to celebrate her seventy-seventh birthday, Rachel Pollack is currently in an Intensive Care Unit, those closest to her have set up a GoFundMe to help fund her current healthcare needs.

Zoe and I (Pat Nolan) are asking for financial help for Rachel Pollack’s health care. As many of you know Rachel is in the ICU. If she is able to go home, she will need 24-hour care. Up to now, we haven’t needed your help. It is time now. If we are wrong, your pledge will not be collected. We love and honor you …. But you already know that. Keep up the prayers, rituals and love too. All is real and appreciated.

Neil Gaiman tweeted “Rachel Pollack needs your help!” Shelly Bond added “Rachel is a wonderful comic book writer, and a very special person to the original Vertigo Comics family. Please consider sharing, and donate if you’re able. Rachel Pollack needs your help!” Gail Simone wrote “A great and influential writer, please spread the word for Rachel Pollack!”

DC Comics editors also tweeted with Chris Conroy saying “With the upsetting news that Rachel Pollack is in the ICU, please consider donating to her potential aftercare fund. We’re lucky we ever got Rachel Pollack comics in this world, but I’d still like to see more” and Andrea Shay added “Celebrated writer and trans activist Rachel Pollack made DC Comics history when she introduced Coagula, the first trans woman superhero, in her #DoomPatrol run. She’s currently in the ICU, and if you can spare a donation I’m sure it would go a long way.”

Earlier this year, Rachel Pollack posted about her situation on Facebook, saying;

“I know rumors have been circulating about my health. I apologize for not coming forward before. It’s been a hard time, and I haven’t had much energy. 5 or 6 years ago I was very ill, and couldn’t work. It turned out I had Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system. It was advanced (I couldn’t eat), but I went through a tough chemo and it worked. Or so it seemed. Not long after it showed up on a scan. So I went through an even harsher treatment, and finally that did work. And now cancer has been found again. The doctors assumed it was Hodgkin’s once more. Instead, it’s a completely different variant of lymphoma. .Once again, it’s advanced. Right now, I am just trying to get through the days. Next week, I begin chemo. I am not giving up, and neither should you!”

She didn’t need financial help then, but she does now. The GoFundMe has currently raised over $28,000 against a $15,000 goal.

Prominent donors include Jaylaan Ahmad-Llewellyn of Bluehammock Productions who donated a thousand dollars, as well as Rachel Gold, Al Ewing, Gabriel Hernandez, Martha Thomases, Kieron Gillen, Kim Newman, Brett Booth, and Cliff Chiang. It is also notable that Rachel Pollack’s Doom Patrol run is, next month, being collected by DC Comics into Omnibus form,