Mike McStay Fundraiser

by Robert Koehler on June 10, 2009

Blogger Mike McStay — whom I’ve had the pleasure to meet on several occasions — is having surgery, and his friends are holding a fundraiser in Daejeon. Even if you can’t attend, you can send money.

{ 9 comments… read them below or add one }

1 John from Daejeon June 10, 2009 at 11:23 am: For those who would like to find the place.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=104728789368795341284.0004488dfe693c831bfb7&t=h&z=12
2 John from Daejeon June 10, 2009 at 11:25 am: Just click on Club J-Rock on the map’s legend.
3 Choon June 10, 2009 at 1:12 pm: I think it is great Mike’s friends are rallying around him to help with the required funds for his operations. However, it seems as though more than just a few teachers need some hard lessons in financial literacy.

Shit happens and always will. Gainfully employed people with any kind of self respect and social responsibility should prepare about 6 months salary in readily accessible cash savings.

So English Teachers, that’s about 12 million won. If you get canned or there’s unforseen circumstances back home or other unfortuanate health emergencies in Korea you’ll be able to dip into your emergency savings fund.

Sorry to Mike and friends of Mike who may feel this post inappropriate. I wish Mike all the best with the operations and a full recovery. It’s great he has great friends who want to help him out. I don’t know Mike and I’m unaware of his personal circumstances. A series of emergencies and some financial bad luck can always knock one back a little too much.

This is a heads up to all really. No one wakes up in the morning saying I want to be a charity case. The Matt Robsinson story struck a chord and I felt compelled to contribute. But I’m sure hopeful that Matt will be starting an emergency fund once he is back to health and gainfully employed.
4 whitey June 10, 2009 at 1:41 pm: Well said, Choon.
5 hitest June 10, 2009 at 3:52 pm: I agree Choon.

Especially if one has the responsability of a family, they owe it to their loved ones to prepare for such things.

And while you are at it, buy insurance.
6 Darth Babaganoosh June 10, 2009 at 5:11 pm: Well, of course, Choon is right, but sometimes life throws a curveball. You can’t prepare for everything, especially when 12million won is not really a lot of money.
7 foobat June 10, 2009 at 7:44 pm: choon’s point is tactfully stated. and according to the blog at the end of the link, the medical bills are manageable unlike say Matt Robertson who a few weeks ago who risked having his leg amputated and clocked up about 20 million in bills and the hospital was refusing to do required surgery until the bill was paid.

i dont know Mike or what he does for a living, but im pretty sure that he makes roughly that amount of cash in a month and that he has health insurance.

i realize that not all foreigners are rolling in it, but there is something not quite right about asking strangers to kick in over (what is) a small amount (in comparison).
8 r.rac June 10, 2009 at 10:00 pm: anybody know what kind of supplemental insurance to cover what NHIC wont cover is available to expats and how much it runs? heck another $50-100/month would be a steal if this sort of thing would happen

This would be a good lesson in educating people about this and how to get some. besides the travel insurance you can buy in your home countries for travelling abroad
9 Darth Babaganoosh June 10, 2009 at 10:35 pm: i realize that not all foreigners are rolling in it, but there is something not quite right about asking strangers to kick in over (what is) a small amount (in comparison)

This never started out to be a “money grab” as some people make it out to be. It started out with a few co-workers putting money in a jar to help him out, and their enthusiasm to help him sorta took off from there, from an smaller internal thing to including J-Rock (where they have a decent relationship with management who has helped with things in the past).