Erik Jensen, who fans may recognize from his appearances in The Walking Dead, Mr. Robot, and Netflix’s Mindhunter, has recently been diagnosed with Stage IV colorectal cancer.
In a GoFundMe page created by his wife, Jessica Blank, Jensen’s family has shared that this news comes just a year and a half after the 53-year-old actor/writer/director survived a brain aneurysm.
While there is never a good time to have cancer, this diagnosis and subsequent treatment may find Jensen out of work during the earnings period to qualify for SAG insurance, which could mean the family loses their insurance. Jensen and his wife “are full-time freelance artists” who lack the “cushion that long-term commercial work can provide.” his wife explains.
This situation highlights what the double WGA/SAG strikes mean to middle-class working actors and writers. Nearly 85% of registered SAG-AFTRA members do not make enough to meet the minimum income requirement for health insurance, which is having made at least $26,000 from work in the industry during a 12-month period.
While Jensen’s family is thankful that he is “young and strong” and hopes to work through much of his treatment, the financial setback of having just survived a brain aneurysm on top of double strikes is a burden they will need help to overcome.
In the heartfelt message, his wife and partner of 23 years, Jessica Blank posted, “He is one of the most hardworking, loving, truthful, and devoted people we know. He needs to help his daughter grow up.”
His family and loved ones will surely need financial help to navigate this difficult time; they have also asked folks to “reach out after reading this; the family would greatly appreciate communications of success stories, positivity, and hope.” as Jensen is determined to “stay positive and fight for the shot that his doctors know he has.”
Jensen’s doctors feel they have a good chance of shrinking his tumors, which have metastasized to his liver, with intensive treatment and a series of small surgeries. As of writing this, the GoFundMe page has already raised over $94,000 towards the goal, which will help his family “make it through the next year, pay for treatment to fight his cancer, keep their home, and maintain some sort of stability for [their daughter] Sadie.”
Colorectal, or colon cancer as it is more commonly known, is the third leading cancer in the world behind lung and breast cancers. It is the same cancer that took the life of Chadwick Boseman and, sadly, is on the rise among younger and younger people.
The American Cancer Society reports that half of all colon cancer cases are found in folks 66 and younger, where the average age was 72 in 1989. While there has been a drop in rates for people 65 and older of about 3%, cases in people under 50 have been approaching a 2% increase in recent years.
Emphasizing the importance of preemptive screenings, The American Cancer Society has often recommended adults 45 and older get regular screenings for cancer. Patients diagnosed have a far better chance of beating the disease when the cancer is caught before it spreads outside the large intestine. Screenings can be as simple as stool sample analyses or colonoscopies and can go a long way to saving a loved one’s life.
Cancer can be devastating in so many ways. We here at Dread Central are pulling for Erik’s recovery and urge our readers and fans of his work to share any positive stories they might have with the family. You can find Erik on X at: @ErikJensen123
The Walking Dead family calls fans to support Erik and his family if they can.
Categorized: News
