Chris was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. The treatment plan involves 3-4 months of chemo, followed by radiation and surgery. He needs help managing the expenses that will come with medical bills and his absences from work.
Chris has to change jobs during treatment due to the immunity issues that come with chemotherapy. It is going to be a difficult undertaking logistically and emotionally and will result in a loss of wages. He is presently a gifted paraeducator who works with young students who have disabilities. He has the incredible ability to connect with students who are nonverbal or are limited in their communication. Over the years, I’ve seen children with autism who won’t interact with people who are familiar to them crawl up and sit on his lap after only knowing him for a short time. You can see the kids grow when they are with him every day — his calm and positive presence helps them to self-regulate, to communicate a little bit more, and to interact with others. He impacts their days and their lives and the kids do the same to him. He will be missed during his time away and will be eager to get back to his job when he finishes treatment.
As he moves down the road, his surgery will require an extended absence from work, which will impact his family. His son is 13 years old and has general 13-year-old needs. Braces. Violin lessons. Activities. And burning through clothes from growing like a weed. His hope is to manage all of the finances well enough to be able to keep his son on track. His wife works as a teacher and will not be able to find supplemental income while she cares for him and their son. He’d like to help her have some peace of mind to not worry about finances as they face the challenge.
He puts a mountain of good into the world. Any help is appreciated to keep him in the game.