DJ Smoke ‘doing well, considering the circumstances’

Close friends of DJ Smoke are grateful for the support a GoFundMe created to fund the noted disc jockey’s heart surgery has received thus far. They hope the campaign will hit the target of US$35,000 so that DJ Smoke, whose given name is Ryan Williams, will receive the critical quadruple bypass he needs.

DJ Smoke was initially set to have an angioplasty to surgically repair and unblock the coronary arteries, and a successful staging of Togetherness Fête, which doubled as a fundraiser for the cause, had raised funds for that procedure.

According to DJ Smoke, the event raised approximately 80 per cent of the goal, and he received additional assistance through the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ Compassionate Fund Unit, “but I did not end up getting the angioplasty”. “When the doctors went in, they saw that I actually needed much more than that,” the disc jockey shared with The Gleaner.

A review of DJ Smoke’s heart showed that all four arteries are 95 to 99 per cent blocked. He now requires a quadruple bypass which is an added financial woe, “and because of that, I do have some funds left over that, I’m putting it towards this very pricey and serious surgery”.

WAKE-UP CALL

DJ Smoke shared that he recognised that there was something wrong when he developed shortness of breath, which became progressively worse as he started to experience minor tightening of his chest. Having lost three family members over the past two years due to heart disease, it was a wake-up call to seek the advice of a medical professional. After an electrocardiogram, the cardiologist ordered the angioplasty, thinking it would only need an easy fix.

“It has been a big wake-up call for me. This is my first serious medical condition and procedure,” said DJ Smoke, who currently does not have medical insurance and, with the closure of the entertainment sector over two years, did not have a stable income.

The quadruple bypass is an open-heart surgical procedure that is done to improve blood flow to the heart muscle. It has a price tag of about $5.5 million (approximately US$35,000), said Ali Jeffries, one of DJ Smoke’s friends who is working to raise funds. The disc jockey anticipates a June 14 date at the University Hospital of the West Indies.

“We are working diligently at raising the money for the surgery through the GoFundMe, but even though the response has been great, he is just under half of his goal,” she said.

With the help of 161 donors, through the crowdfunding platform, a little over US$15,410 has been raised. The Helping Heart campaign has also received donations from private companies, for which DJ Smoke and family and friends have expressed sincere gratitude.

“It is worrisome because the hospital has to be paid in full before scheduling the procedure and because the surgical team will need a hefty deposit as well. Ryan is doing well, considering the circumstances. He is, of course, nervous, worried and scared, but he is happy that there is a solution in place and grateful for his loving network of friends, family and fans,” Jeffries said.

Readers wanting to donate to Dj Smoke’s campaign may visit www.gofundme.com/f/helping-heart-dj-smokes-quadruple-bypass to contribute.