RESEDA, Calif.—Anyone who's seen a Girlfriends Film over the past several years is likely familiar with Elexis Monroe. Though not under contract to the company, she's appeared in their productions since 2003, and in the past three years has appeared in 44 Girlfriends movies, directing two of them.
But in late November, the news began to circulate that the popular star had been stricken with what she described as "a massive infection in my facial bones," and which an article in the upcoming Girlfriends Films Newsletter called "severe dental absesses which spread without her realizing the real nature and seriousness of the situation." The infection became so bad that she went to the emergency room over the Thanksgiving holiday, and had her first surgery on Monday, November 26, after which she wrote that the operation consisted of, "removing bones, teeth, cutting gum apart to get inside my jaw bone, then up inside my cheek and left nasal canal as of now."
But Elexis will need at least two more operations, at a cost of between $10,000 and $20,000, to correct the problem—but she's a single mom and reportedly has no insurance to cover the procedures.
Enter Girlfriends Films, which has decided to make Elexis the recipient of the company's monthly charitable donation.
"Elexis is part of the Girlfriends Films family," O'Connell wrote in a press release, "and we are committed to helping her through this difficult time. In addition to allotting December’s charity donation to help her, we are exploring additional avenues of fundraising."
One of those avenues, O'Connell revealed in a Girlfriends newsletter article on Friday, will be an adult movie project not unlike the one initiated by Amber Lynn several years ago to aid cancer-stricken director Henri Pachard.
"I’ve always said that the performers in our business are a special group but outside their work on camera, there are few opportunities when they get to prove themselves and really shine as they are so capable of doing," O'Connell wrote in the newsletter. "Unfortunate circumstances involving the health of performer and director Elexis Monroe have recently presented such an opportunity, and the response has been overwhelming. Performers and fans from America and Europe have been e-mailing and calling me for updates, and I know that Elexis has been flooded with similar good wishes and inquiries.
"Girlfriends Films will soon be shooting a special DVD issue of our popular series Lesbian Sex, which we want Elexis to host," he continued. "Performers will donate half their fees to the Elexis fund, and those donations will be matched by Girlfriends Films. Given the number of performers who have submitted their names for the project, it will be a difficult selection process."
In addition to receiving Girlfriends' December charity donation, "Fans are making donations, as well, and Elexis is extremely touched by that act of kindness," O'Connell noted. "Elexis is a big part of the Girlfriends Films family, and we are committed to helping her through this difficult time. I’ve just spoken with Elexis and she is very, very touched by the outpouring of support she’s received from performers and fans. She has been posting updates and other information on our Girlfriends Films Forum, so you can check there for the most recent news."
Fans of Elexis Monroe wishing to help out may send donations to the Elexis Monroe Medical Fund using Paypal and the email address [email protected]. They can also send checks to Kathleen Harper (Elexis' mother) c/o Girlfriends Films, 6850 Canby Avenue #106, Reseda, CA 91335.
Others have also chipped in to help. Lily Cade, who did her first on-camera scene with Elexis, posted on her web site, "If you want to buy a signed copy of either Hard Working Girls or Live Nerd Girls for $25, I will donate the proceeds to Elexis’s surgery fund. Send me an email at [email protected]."
"I'm overwhelmed by how the girls and fans are responding," Elexis wrote in an email after being informed of the movie project. "It means a lot. I've always believed if you're a good person and treat people with respect and work hard, good things can happen. Maybe this is that time for me but I'm very pleased."
After one surgery, and with several more looming, Elexis Monroe remains positive, tweeting updates on a regular basis. A November 29 tweet read, "It's amazing to me that my fans, my friends, my industry is helping save my life, my hearing, smell, face, mouth. Wow!"
Elexis' second directorial effort, Lesbian Storytime Theatre, has been nominated as AVN's Best Older Woman/Younger Girl Release, and snagged a AAAA rating in reviews.
Pictured: Elexis with Deauxma from Elexis and Her Girlfriends 2, which Elexis directed.
