Cancer is a thief. It doesn't care if you're funny, or if you've spent the last decade making millions of people laugh on the internet. It just shows up. For Keith Leak Jr., the charismatic backbone of the Smosh family, this reality hit like a ton of bricks for the second time in late 2025.
You’ve probably seen the headlines or the clips from the Double Take podcast. Keith’s cancer, which everyone hoped was a thing of the past after his 2021 battle with a Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor (GIST), came back with a vengeance.
Why the Keith Leak Jr GoFundMe exists
The healthcare system in the U.S. is basically a nightmare for contract workers. Honestly, it's terrifying. Keith isn't a corporate employee with a gold-plated HMO; he’s a performer. When Noah Grossman launched the Keith Leak Jr GoFundMe, it wasn't just for "medical bills." It was for survival.
Keith is dealing with four new tumors. Two are sitting near his diaphragm, and two more are on his liver.
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Treatment for GIST isn't a one-and-done surgery. It involves daily chemo pills, constant labs, and scans every month. These medications are astronomically expensive. Some estimates from fans and community members suggest that even $250,000 might only cover about three years of his specific medication needs. That’s a heavy weight for anyone to carry, let alone a 33-year-old who just wants to get back to making sketches.
The community response has been insane
People showed up. In less than a week after the news broke, the fundraiser blew past its initial goals, sitting at over $340,000 by late 2025. It’s a testament to how much he’s loved.
Even big names like Jacksepticeye (Sean McLoughlin) dropped $5,000 into the pot.
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It’s not just the money, though. If you scroll through the comments on the GoFundMe page, it’s a wall of love. People sharing stories of how Keith’s "Pork Chop" character or his infectious laugh helped them through their own dark times. It’s a reciprocal energy. He gave us joy for years; now the fans are giving him a lifeline.
Managing a lifelong battle
Here is the thing most people get wrong about GIST: it’s often a lifelong management situation.
In some of his most vulnerable moments on camera, Keith has talked about how exhausting it is. He’s mentioned how the chemo pills make him feel so sick he can’t even stand up during a shoot. There was a particularly heart-wrenching moment on a podcast where he talked about "Amelie"—the name he gave his tumor—and the mental toll of knowing this might be a fight that never truly ends.
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What you can do to support Keith
If you're looking for the Keith Leak Jr GoFundMe, it is still the primary way to help. But money isn't the only currency here.
- Share the link: Most of the traction came from the Smosh community sharing the fundraiser on Reddit, Twitter, and TikTok.
- Watch the content: Smosh has been incredibly supportive, giving Keith the space to work when he can and rest when he can't. Keeping the channel's engagement high helps the whole ecosystem that supports him.
- Send a message: Keith has mentioned that seeing the sheer volume of people who care about his life gave him hope when he was in a very dark place.
We’re all rooting for him. The road is long, and the updates aren't always going to be sunshine and rainbows, but Keith has a literal army behind him now.
To stay updated on his progress, follow Keith’s official Instagram or the Smosh community subreddits. If you're in a position to help, even a small donation helps cover the "hidden" costs of chronic illness, like travel for specialized treatment and the cost of living while being unable to work full-time.