The family of Ken Hudson Campbell, known for playing Santa in the Christmas classic "Home Alone," is asking for the public's help this holiday season as they embark on an expensive journey to save the 61-year-old's life.
On a GoFundMe page, Campbell's daughter Michaela shared that her dad was diagnosed with cancer on Oct. 27 after a tumor had "elusively grown" on the bottom of his mouth and began encroaching on his teeth.
She shared that Campbell was scheduled for a 10-hour surgery on Dec. 7, in which doctors planned to remove a large part of his jawbone, his lymph nodes and part of his leg bone. Surgeons then plan to use the leg bone to reconstruct and install a new jaw for Campbell, then treat the cancer with radiation.
This process will include a week in the hospital complete with a feeding tube, skin grafts and a tracheotomy, Campbell's daughter said. After this process, the actor will have a six-month recovery period with the potential of more chemotherapy later down the line.
As a result, Campbell has heavy costs ahead, as only physical and speech therapy are covered by the actor's insurance, his daughter shared.
"We are anticipating huge out-of-pocket costs for caregivers/skilled nursing, insurance premiums, medical equipment, transportation, dental implants, dentures and who knows what else," Michaela wrote.
The GoFundMe page created to help with these costs has already gained $93,190 of its $100,000 goal in just one week, with famous stars like Steve Carrell and Tim Meadows being two of its contributors.
Last week, Campbell shared the page to his Instagram, saying, "Never thought I'd be posting this."
Campbell's daughter describes him as a "family man, a loving father of two children with an admirable lust for life, and a passion for acting, writing, & sports."
In the acting realm, his standout scene with Macualey Culkin's character in "Home Alone" captures him as an off-the-clock Santa trying to answer to little Kevin McAllister's Christmas wish to bring his family back for the holiday. He's also known for roles in "Armageddon" and "Groundhog Day."
20th Century Fox / "Home Alone"
"It is possible that this procedure will affect his ability to work as an actor in the future," she continued. "We are asking for your help so that Kenny can use the time ahead to return to health and spend more time with family and friends."
If you'd like to contribute to Campbell's fundraiser, click here.
