Family, bandmates, and friends have started a GoFundMe for bassist Jennifer Finch to help cover expenses following an aggressive brain cancer diagnosis. Finch’s loved ones released a statement on social media, explaining there had been a lot of optimism that treatment would allow Finch to return to ‘some version’ of her previous life, but complications have resulted in multiple setbacks that have forced them to face “the difficult reality that Jennifer may have more good days behind her than ahead.”
Finch is best known as one of the founding members and long-term bassist for the iconic rock band L7, which released its first album in 1988. She played bass throughout L7's peak during the grunge explosion in the nineties, but left the band in 1996 to pursue other artistic ventures, including photography, starting her own label, and playing in OtherStarPeople and the Shocker. She returned to L7 in 2015, when the group reunited, and played on the 2019 LP Scatter the Rats. The band is currently preparing for their farewell tour which begins in October.
The band had planned the trek when Finch was in good health and had delayed the tour pending her recovery. However, due to ongoing treatment needs, she will not be joining L7 on the U.S. leg of the band’s Last Hurrah tour, scheduled for fall. Reports say that she has insisted that the band continue the tour without her.
According to the site, loved ones are hoping to raise $350K to help pay for:
Professional in-home nursing care, physical and speech therapy, medical equipment, and other essential care
Cover home-care expenses that will allow Jennifer to remain safely and comfortably at home
Recoup significant out-of-pocket medical expenses and legal fees
Preserve Jennifer’s legacy by creating an archive of her artistic and creative work
Completion of a significant creative project that was scheduled for release next year
Donita Sparks, L7 singer and guitarist, said the following in a public statement:
We are all devastated by the news and are surrounding her with love, protecting her privacy and dignity, while helping raise the resources she urgently needs for the care ahead. Jennifer is family, and we want her to feel the full strength of the community that has loved and supported her for so many years.
The fundraiser is being shared widely and has been posted by many members of the rock community, including Green Day and Courtney Love. Donations can be made directly to Jennifer Finch here.
Jenny Catlin is a writer and pop culture enthusiast based in the square states. She’s a contributing writer to The Athletic, a Lighthouse Writers Book Project Fellow, and an award-winning essayist obsessed with obsession. You can find her on Instagram or Substack.