Dragon Ball fans have been struck with more rough news, as long-time voice of Master Roshi, Mike McFarland, revealed a brain cancer diagnosis. While McFarland has had surgery, and it was successful, he’s turned to fans for help on his road to recovery with a GoFundMe campaign.
Mike McFarland is a prolific voice actor; aside from his famed Dragon Ball roles, like Master Roshi and Yajirobe, he’s also responsible for many other familiar characters, such as One Piece’s Buggy, My Hero Academia‘s Mashiro Ojiro, Fullmetal Alchemist‘s Jean Havoc, and Attack on Titan‘s Jean Kirschtein, to name just a few. He has nearly 400 acting credits to his name on IMDb, and his work has become a part of many a fan’s childhood. Now, the situation has McFarland looking for support from these fans as he faces difficult times ahead.
Mike McFarland’s Journey to Recovery is Just Beginning
The GoFundMe Has Nearly Hit Its Goal in Just 3 Days
According to the GoFundMe, started on McFarland’s behalf by fellow voice actor Brandon McInnis, McFarland underwent emergency surgery last week to remove a brain tumor. While the surgery was a success, McFarland now faces a long and difficult recovery, and like many in America, is faced with staggering medical expenses as a result of this life-saving surgery. The intent of the raised funds is to pay for a live-in medical assistant who can help McFarland to deal with the newfound difficulties of life after brain surgery, for as long as is needed to help him fully recover.
Fans have had an outpouring of support for McFarland, showing just how much his work has touched the lives of anime fans. As of the time of writing, $113,743 had been raised out of a $120,000 initial goal, signaling that McFarland’s future is likely in good hands. The campaign isn’t over, however; there’s no telling how long McFarland may need medical assistance, after all, so the GoFundMe is looking to raise as much money as possible, to ensure that he won’t have to worry about how to pay for essential services he needs for his recovery.
McFarland is far from the only voice actor who’s had to rely on GoFundMe for medical care in recent times. In May 2024, it was announced that voice acting legend Rachael Lillis, the original voice of Misty and Jessie from Pokémon, had been diagnosed with breast cancer, which quickly spread to her spine. Her GoFundMe was able to raise $98,000 before her unfortunate passing in August 2024, which helped to cover final expenses and pay medical bills.
Fans who wish to help out Mike McFarland’s recovery can and should still donate to the GoFundMe campaign, as every dollar raised is that much less that McFarland has to worry about in his time of need. If there’s any fanbase that knows how to make a wish come true, it should be Dragon Ball fans, and now’s the time for fans to work their magic to ensure a happy ending befitting of Roshi.
Source: GoFundMe
Dragon Ball
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.
- Created by
-
Akira Toriyama
- First Film
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Dragon Ball: Curse of the Blood Rubies
- Latest TV Show
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Super Dragon Ball Heroes
- First Episode Air Date
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April 26, 1989
- Latest Episode
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2019-10-05
- Cast
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Sean Schemmel
, Laura Bailey
, Brian Drummond
, Christopher Sabat
, Scott McNeil
Summary
From the creative mind of Akira Toriyama, Dragon Ball is a mega multimedia franchise that spans back to the 1980s. Dragon Ball expanded quickly, starting as a serialized manga for Weekly Shonen Jump in Japan. It made its way overseas via manga and an anime adaptation that is enjoyed worldwide. Dragon Ball was the initial starting animated series that followed the adventures of the young Son Goku as he sought after the Dragon Balls. These mystical orbs would grant the wish of any who gathered them together. Then, the series would branch off into the immensely popular Dragon Ball Z, which followed Goku as an adult and featured high-intensity battles and Goku’s never-ending search to be the strongest. The series has also enjoyed several popular video game adaptations and continues to release several new animated series and theatrical films up to the recent popular Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero.