Denver Actors Fund dentist Brian Kelly helps actor David Ballew complete five-year dental odyssey
Aid recipient: David Ballew, co-founder of the new Invictus Theatre Company with Christin Mason Martin, has been an active actor in the Colorado theatre community for nearly two decades, with credits at local theatres including Theatre Group, Vintage Theatre and more. Most recently, he appeared in Gene Kato’s “10 Pin Alley” for the Wheat Ridge Theatre Company and “Santa Claus Conquers the Martians” at The Bug Theatre. Other memorable productions include “Southern Baptist Sissies,” “The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas,” “Jeffrey.” “Evil Dead The Musical” and “Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka.” He is originally from Farmersville, Texas, and is a former Head Park Ambassador at Elitch Gardens.
His medical story: David has had longstanding issues with gum disease, which is sadly common among artists who go through life without consistent and affordable dental insurance. In 2018, David was in need of emergency treatment. Over the past few months, it was determined by two independent dentists that it was in David’s best interests to have dentures which involved a major surgery and full replacement with prosthetic teeth
How the Denver Actors Fund initially helped: The Denver Actors Fund initially helped David through his immediate, emergency dental crisis in 2017 and then connected him with our partnering dentist, Brian Kelly, who addressed some of David’s more long-term issues. A significant treatment course was begun, which amounted to the value of $5,078 in essential services over two years. In addition, Denver Actors Fund’s transportation Action Team provided Ballew with rides to and from his appointments. (Thank you, Sean Mallary, Nita Froelich and Kristen Samu.)
And, more recently: Dr. Kelly and The Denver Actors Fund saw David through his recent, final dental odyssey, which included the equivalent of $8,180 in donated services from Dr. Kelly and a $902 payment by the DAF to a third-party prosthetics company for its lab fees. That brings our overall support for David to $13,829 to date. Of that, $12,699 is in-kind service provided by Dr. Kelly as his personal, in-kind donation to The Denver Actors Fund, and $1,130 in third-party bills paid by the DAF. Through all of this, David has not had to pay a penny toward his treatment.
Who is Dr. Brian Kelly? Dr. Brian Kelly DDS (named one of Denver’s top dentists more than a dozen times by 5280 Magazine) is a former Broadway actor who also danced for the American Ballet Theatre. His Broadway credits include “La Cage Aux Folles” and “A Chorus Line.” For years, Brian was known to randomly provide free or reduced-cost dental services to members of our theatre community. In 2017, Dr. Kelly approached the Denver Actors Fund about an official partnership, with an emphasis on providing immediate emergency dental care to help beneficiaries transition from a diseased to a healthy gum state. To date, Dr. Kelly has povided the equivalent of $140,000 in free emergency dental care for members of the Colorado theater community through the Denver Actors Fund. (Note: Members of the theater community must continue to apply for assistance through the Denver Actors Fund and are asked not to contact Dr. Kelly directly.)
‘DR, BRIAN KELLY, YOU ARE INCREDIBLY GENEROUS FOR DOING THIS.’
A message from David Ballew: “I am grateful, blessed and, humbled by the gift that Dr. Brian Kelly and the Denver Actors Fund have given me. Thanks to this help, I can smile and be proud again. I’m beyond grateful for this. Thank you to everyone who has helped make this happen for me. I love our theater community and how we reach out to each other in any way possible. The kindness and feeling of community has really spoken to me in ways that I never thought possible. You are all beautiful and lovely people. I also want to thank Brian Kelly for helping me through this process. You are incredibly generous, and I can’t thank you enough for this. You and The Denver Actors Fund are life-changers for me. Keep being kind and loving! Love and gratitude always.”
How you can help us : If you would like to donate to the Denver Actors Fund, simply mail checks in any amount made out to Denver Actors Fund to P.O. Box 11182, Denver, CO 80211. Or use this donation link, with our humble thanks.
Read testimonials from other Denver Actors Fund beneficiaries here
Note: At the Denver Actors Fund, anonymity of aid recipients is presumed and fully protected, unless and until the recipient chooses to have his or her story told.
