Mumia Supporters Raise More Than $1,200 Per Day for His Medical Care

A recent photo of an ailing Mumia Abu-Jamal (center) with MOVE’s Pam Africa (left) and Mumia supporter Johanna Fernandez (right), via Facebook

It has been one month since Mumia Abu-Jamal was in the intensive care unit of a Pennsylvania hospital near the prison where he is serving a life sentence for killing Philadelphia police officer Daniel Faulkner. He’s back in prison now, after what his supporters say was diabetic shock, and they’re raising money for his medical care at an impressive rate.

The fundraising campaign was launched on the popular crowdfunding website Indiegogo on April 2nd by Prison Radio, a San Francisco-based non-profit dedicated to broadcasting prison recordings by those it deems political prisoners, including Abu-Jamal. The organizers set a fundraising goal of $20,000. As of Wednesday morning, their campaign stood at over $33,000 from 592 people, for a rate of over $1,200 each day.

Donations have ranged from $5 all the way up to $1,000, an amount that appears to have been given by Brooklyn’s Marilyn Vogt-Downey, an author who has contributed to publications like The Bulletin in Defense of Marxism, Socialist Action newspaper.

Rewards for contributors include an 11×17-inch poster of Abu-Jamal ($50), a tote bag bearing a printed image of Abu-Jamal ($100), and a boxed set of all seven of his books ($1,000), which include such titles as Death Blossoms: Reflections from a Prisoner of Conscience (foreword by Cornel West) and Live from Death Row.

Once the funds hit the goal of $20,000, supporters posted an update, requesting more donations and describing his current condition:

Mumia is in a Medical Crisis

One month after Mumia fell into diabetic shock, his health is still in grave condition. He is currently in the prison infirmary, where his family and lawyer are frequently denied visitation. Mumia was denied access to his outside doctor.

March 30th, Mumia lost consciousness and was moved from SCI Mahanoy to the ICU unit at Schuylkill Medical Center. His blood sugar count was at 779: he was in diabetic shock. His sodium level was 160. Since January, Mumia has received inadequate and detrimental treatment for a severe case of eczema. His life threatening medical crisis continues and has now been labeled late-onset diabetes, which should have been identified and treated months ago.

We need your help to ensure he receives immediate medical care.

According to the fundraisers, the money will go to pay for private doctors, fund the legal fight over his treatment, obtain medical records at a cost of $1.50-per-page, cover the cost of travel for his family, friends and supporters to and from the prison and local medical center, and pay his attorney’s legal fees.

Here is the campaign video:

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