Benefit Concert to Be Held May 3rd for Mount Vernon High School Music Coordinator

Mount Vernon, Washington– Sharon Watson, a music teacher with the Mount Vernon School District contacted Skagitbreaking.com to help bring some awareness about an upcoming  fundraiser for a fellow teacher.

According to Sharon,  “Our Mount Vernon High School fine and performing  arts department coordinator and friend, Robert Pitzer, has Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis, (PSC) an autoimmune disorder that destroys the liver.”

All patients with PSC ultimately require a liver transplant. Bob or as students know him,  “Mr. Pitzer”  has  been hospitalized since February,  awaiting a  liver transplant which he received at Swedish Hospital on March 9th, 2016. Complications required much of this time to be spent in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and he is still in the early stages of the recovery process, which typically last between 6 to 12 months.

Swedish Hospital Organ Transplant Center advises all patients that the cost of a liver transplant and the first year of recovery is about $675,000.

As a Mount Vernon School District employee, some of this expense will be covered by health insurance, but a large sum of the expense will need to be paid by Mr. Pitzer.

Sharon States, ” He has already been through so much and in no way brought any of this on himself. The staff and students of the Mount Vernon and Burlington music departments are anxious to help defray some of this expense, so the idea of a benefit concert was born.”

The concert will feature instrumental and vocal performances by both students and staff. Since this is a benefit concert, they  are requesting a donation of  at least $5 per attendee. Any amount above that will be greatly appreciated and accepted.  If this does not fit your  family budget at this time, please join us at the concert anyway and donate what you can and show support for Mr. Pitzer.  They will be selling concessions at the event for a small fee as well.

The concert will take place in the Mount Vernon High School gym at 6:30 p.m on Tuesday, May 3.

Please join us to honor and help the colleague who has  done so much for our students.

A Go Fund Me Page has been set up for Online Donations. They have raised over $22,000 in just over two months towards their goal. Please click here to be taken to the Go Fund Me Page

Donations are also being accepted at any Bank of America under the account name “Robert Pitzer Benefit Fund”.