Musician Andrew McMahon Aims to Help Cancer Patients, Survivors Through Fundraiser Dinner

BY COLLIN BREAUX

South Orange County-based musician Andrew McMahon was a few years removed from graduating at Dana Hills High School when he found out he had leukemia.

McMahon’s life was going well before then. He was 22 years old, coming on the heels of his popular pop-punk band Something Corporate, and launching another musical venture called Jack’s Mannequin.

He faced different circumstances when he started to realize he was losing his voice, though. A doctor took his blood, and then his world was turned upside down— but not permanently.

“I’m a leukemia survivor,” McMahon said. “I was diagnosed in 2005 and have been in remission since 2006.”

McMahon lives in San Clemente and is still touring and playing music. After his experiences, he is giving back through the Dear Jack Foundation, a charitable organization he founded that provides assistance programs for adolescents and young adults diagnosed with cancer, as well as their families.

Levin Reintroduces Bill to Establish Engagement Office Within Nuclear Regulatory Commission

BY C. JAYDEN SMITH

Rep. Mike Levin is again looking to push through legislation in Congress that seeks to facilitate further public participation in the United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s actions.

The U.S. House of Representatives’ Energy and Commerce Committee discussed Levin’s NRC Office of Public Engagement and Participation Act, otherwise known as H.R. 4530, during a July 18 hearing, but no reportable action has been released since.

The bill, introduced last month, would create an Office of Public Engagement and Participation within the NRC, tasked with providing “educational, legal and technical guidance and assistance” to citizens submitting comments and hearing requests for NRC proceedings.

To raise funds for the Dear Jack Foundation— named after Jack Rose, a childhood friend’s little brother—McMahon and the organization will host a farm-to-table benefit dinner at The Ecology Center in San Juan Capistrano on Saturday, Aug. 5, with proceeds going to the organization.

McMahon said the Dear Jack Foundation thought the event would be a “cool way” to tie the cause back to the coastal community he calls home. McMahon’s links to The Ecology Center further come from having a friend who works there and having attended several events on the farmland himself.

The longtime indie pop musician describes the format for the fundraiser as a small one, given the guest list will be capped at just 72 people. The Ecology Center often hosts general intimate outdoor farm-to-table dinners, so named because visiting chefs prepare multiple-course meals using ingredients harvested right from the site’s farm. The dinners frequently sell out and give patrons a chance to not only eat but converse and learn about sustainable agriculture.

McMahon became aware of the gap in young cancer patients’ needs through his own experience, including the need for a support group.

In a mid-July press release, Levin, who represents the 49th Congressional District that includes the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS), said the proposed office would increase the public’s confidence in the NRC and lend to rebuilding citizens’ trust.

“Our communities deserve to have their voices heard by the regulatory agency in charge of handling important nuclear safety issues, but oftentimes there is no clear line of communication between the public and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission,” said Levin.

After a year of the office’s existence, the body would be required to submit a report detailing the most common difficulties citizens faced in participating in NRC proceedings.

Levin first introduced the bill as H.R. 9215 during the 117th Congress in October 2022, but after being referred to the Energy and Commerce Committee and further to the Subcommittee on Energy,

“It’s a way to develop community,” he said. “You’re there with other survivors.”

Helping cancer survivors is just as important as recently diagnosed patients, because people who go into remission may feel survivor’s guilt or fear the disease will come back, McMahon added. People who have fought and overcome cancer also have to figure out how to get back into the daily life, he said.

To that end, the Dear Jack Foundation provides retreats and wellness programs, which includes learning about healthy eating. The organization also grants wishes, such as going on vacation trips, through a program known as LifeList.

Giving cancer patients something to look forward to can be motivating, McMa- the bill didn’t go any further.

“I am proud to reintroduce this bill to create an Office of Public Engagement and Participation within the NRC to bridge the gap between the Commission and the public throughout the regulatory process,” Levin added in the release.

Levin touched on the Department of Energy’s ongoing effort to get various U.S. communities’ consent in hosting permanent and temporary repositories to store nuclear waste from the nation’s power plants, including SONGS.

In early June, Levin joined DOE Secretary Jennifer Granholm at SONGS to announce the list of institutions across the U.S. awarded with grants to help in the process of identifying a host for an interim storage facility.

“As we continue our work to rebuild communities’ trust on issues related to spent nuclear fuel and advance the consent-based siting process,” Levin added, “I believe that the Office of Public Engagement and Participation will be a key tool to foster greater confidence and understanding. I look forward to this bill moving through the legislative process.” hon said.

“It’s a bright spot in their treatment,” he said.

Figuring out life post-leukemia was a journey for McMahon. He now wants to help pave a path for other people going down a similar road.

“It’s a tricky road back on the mental health side,” he said. “It took some time, but getting to focus on the Foundation, it’s helped me.” will have the opportunity to meet with local employers,” the report said.

More information about the foundation and how to get tickets for the event can be found at dearjackfoundation.org.

Incoming Capistrano Unified Council Parent Teacher Student Association President Michele Ploessel-Campbell said she appreciates the district’s efforts toward cultural proficiency.

“We see it happening at our schools,” Ploessel-Campbell said. “I want you to know we do appreciate it so much. Our PTAs do. Our schools do. Our students do, and it’s the students that matter the most. Please continue this work.”

More counselors are needed at schools, Ploessel-Campbell said.

A previous update presented to the CUSD Board of Trustees in February said suspension rates decreased by 1% for Black students, 1.5% for disabled students, and 0.1% for socioeconomically disadvantaged students.

Some critics of the cultural proficiency plan have spoken out against the measures due to a perception that increased understanding is excessive wokeness and akin to Critical Race Theory, claims denied by CUSD officials.