Donations pour in for original Pokemon Misty actor Rachael Lillis after cancer update
The Pokemon CompanyOriginal Pokemon dub voice actor Rachael Lillis has been battling cancer for a number of months, and a GoFundMe established by her sister, Laurie, has been met with an outpouring of support as hundreds of fans rally around one of their childhood heroes.
Having been in a nursing home since January, Lillis has been fighting through an ongoing struggle with breast cancer that’s spread to her spine. “Barely” able to walk, her family has turned to social media for financial aid in order to help the beloved voice actor return home.
A $20,000 USD goal has since been ticked off as the fundraiser gains traction online, with the money intended to help support a home care nurse, someone who can help Lillis in the day-to-day from the comfort of her own house.
While being cared for in a Los Angeles nursing home, her sister detailed how “it can be uncomfortably noisy, and it’s difficult for her to manage rest.”
Within a day of sharing the news, clearing the financial target in under 24 hours, Laurie updated the GoFundMe campaign to express her “sincere thanks for your generous, loving support of Rachael. Thank you all, with much love.”
Lillis, a 45-year-old American voice actress, is best known for her work with the English dub of the original Pokemon series and films. Throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s, she was the voice of iconic characters like Misty, Jessie, Jigglypuff, and many others.
Spanning well over 400 episodes along with multiple feature-length films to boot, her work on the English dub of the immensely popular Japanese franchise won the hearts of millions of fans, many of which have now shown up to support in her fight with cancer.
Multiple voice-acting colleagues from her time with the IP have also spoken up to spread the news. “I have been friends with Rachael for over 25 years,” Eric Stuart, the voice of James, Brock, and Squirtle, to name a few, said on X (formerly Twitter). “Please give what you can. F**k cancer.”
“Our friend is in need of your help,” dubbed voice of Bulbasaur Tara Jayne Sands said. “Rachael’s incredible talent, voice, and kindness have contributed so much to all of our lives. Any contribution you can make will help.”