Nationals Executive Has To Resort To Crowdfunding For Leukemia Treatment

Doug Harris, the Washington Nationals’ assistant GM and vice president of player personnel, holds a significant position in the organization—and yet, even an MLB team executive has to resort to asking the public to help cover his medical costs.

Harris was diagnosed with leukemia in 2015 and has dealt with its recurrences since. Last week, his wife Lisa started an online fundraiser, hoping to raise $400,000 for a treatment still in trial research and not otherwise available to him. As of writing, the Harrises have collected $50,000. Though that isn’t close to enough, it’s an inspiring example of how people can come together and help someone they don’t necessarily know personally, but you know who could pay for the entire treatment without it affecting their overall wealth? The Lerner family. Ted, who in June ceded team control to his son Mark but remained on as a principal owner, is worth $5.2 billion, according to Forbes.

From a moral perspective, the amount would be a drop in the bucket for the Lerner family and increase the odds that this human being survives. (The minimum salary for a player in MLB this season is $545,000.) From a bloodlessly capitalistic perspective (the most relatable perspective to the rich), it would be in the owners’ best interests to keep one of their employees alive. From a more direct perspective, D.C. is on track to pay a total of about $1.1 billion, including interest, for the publicly funded Nationals Park, and five years ago the team tried to get taxpayers to throw in another $300 million to add a roof, so the Lerners should open up their fucking pockets and pay a few hundred thousand bucks to give the guy a better chance of not dying.

H/t to Brooke