Above: Vito Valra of Tender Forever is in recovery and would like your assistance!
There is good news! Vito Valera, known to kind readers of the K News for their work as Tender Forever, has been recovering from triple-negative breast cancer. Their operation earlier this year was a complete success, Vito reports "the biopsies from both breasts and all 3 sentinel lymph nodes were ALL NEGATIVE FOR CANCER!!!! A true miracle!!!" We love Vito and are so thankful that Vito and their posse of support have achieved this important step in their recovery!
However, Vito reports this saga is not over. "The type of cancer I had (triple negative) combined with the BRCA1 gene mutation makes re-occurrence and survival rate a bit more dicey. The rate of ovarian cancer for people with triple negative and BRCA1 is pretty high so I’ve been highly advised to get those lil fellas out, too, and am gearing up for an ovaries and tubes ablation as soon as my body can handle another surgery. This will keep me living. Ojalá!!" Because of this, the Vito Valera Recovery Committee has renewed efforts to raise funds via a GoFundMe campaign. This is vital and requires everyone to join in and contribute.
If that wasn't enough, there are other complications to consider. Before Vito was diagnosed with cancer, they contracted COVID-19: "In September 2024, I got covid for the first and only time. I had been an avid masker ever since the pandemic started (and is still going) in March 2020 and hadn’t gotten sick. I made one mistake one night: lowered my mask in a small room to sip from my glass a few times. After that covid infection, I was left with debilitating Long Covid that put me out of work and unable to participate in the life I had. Much of my day often is spent in bed with pain, fatigue and a plethora of symptoms. Please consider masking, testing and taking precautions to protect everyone, including the most vulnerable ones. Masking is the most effective way to not spread this airborne virus, limit Long Covid infections and show radical and deep care for your disabled community."
Long covid has complicated Vito's cancer recovery. As they still require a lot of assistance the campaign to raise funds for Vito Valera is still active and is more necessary than ever. Please donate to the Vito Valera recovery fund. Thank you everyone for your understanding and support!
Above: Khaela Maricich, Vito Valera, Tender Forever recording session, Dub Narcotic Studio, Olympia, Washington.