Renowned pianist and singer Henry Butler, a New Orleans native, was recently diagnosed with stage 4 cancer. His friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign to send him to Germany, where he can receive the special care that will help him battle his illness. They hope to raise $35,000 as quickly as possible in order to get him to Germany by February.

A celebrated disciple of the New Orleans jazz and blues tradition, Butler has been playing piano since he was six years old. Though he was blinded by glaucoma in infancy, he has enjoyed a prolific career as a musician since the age of 12.

Butler relocated to New York City in 2009, just a few years after his Gentilly home was badly damaged by Hurricane Katrina. The 67-year-old musician was the subject of a PBS documentary called The Music’s Gonna Get You in 2010, and last appeared in the pages of OffBeat Magazine in 2014 when he released his excellent collaboration with trumpeter Steven Bernstein.