Update: Jan 24, 2026:

Since Chris was diagnosed, he has been in nonstop treatment.

He spent five weeks inpatient at OHSU for his first course of chemo so he could be closely monitored and protected from infection while his immune system was essentially wiped out. Once he came home, he immediately began an intensive outpatient regimen at our local cancer center, sitting for chemo drips three to five days a week.

Early on, we learned Chris is allergic to one of his chemotherapy drugs. Unfortunately, the benefits still outweigh the risks, so he has to receive it anyway. About 30 minutes into each two-hour infusion, he becomes violently ill - vomiting, sweating, twitching, with his blood pressure and oxygen levels dropping dangerously low. Once, the reaction was so severe they had to call an ambulance. His team has tried adjusting the dose, but the reactions have continued.

Two weeks ago, Chris started a new chemotherapy drug. He felt okay during the infusion but became extremely sick once he got home. The following day, he received the chemo we already know he’s allergic to. The day after that, he had a spinal tap to deliver chemo directly into his spinal fluid to protect his brain.

By the end of that stretch, his body was completely overwhelmed.

He slept nearly an entire day, then spiked a fever that wouldn’t come down. When he didn’t improve, we went to the ER. There, we learned his kidney function had dropped to what is considered stage 3 kidney failure, and he was immediately admitted.

Within hours, a rash appeared across his nose and around his port site. By the next morning, his face and chest were covered in painful, whitehead-like wounds. His skin was red, inflamed, and breaking down. His fever persisted. Infectious Disease was brought in and tested for everything imaginable: measles, shingles, cat scratch fever. Everything came back negative.

What we now know was a severe methotrexate toxicity reaction began to take over his entire body.

Over the following days, his skin and mucous membranes deteriorated rapidly. Painful open wounds spread head to toe. His ears and mouth became so swollen and covered in sores they were nearly shut. Blood mixed with his tears and sweat. His white blood cell count and platelets dropped to almost nothing. Anyone who entered his room had to wear full protective gear.

There was no clear fix...only supportive care and hope that his body would survive it.

After two terrifying weeks in the hospital, Chris finally turned a corner. He was discharged home yesterday. He is not out of the woods, but he is stable enough to continue healing at home while his medical team figures out what this means for the rest of his treatment plan.

In the middle of all of this, Chris was supposed to return to work two weeks ago (despite feeling awful) simply to try to save our health insurance. That didn’t happen. We are now paying for COBRA coverage, along with back-paying the employee portion of the last five months of premiums. While Chris is receiving disability, it’s only a fraction of his income and doesn’t even cover the cost of maintaining his insurance.

The stress of finances and returning to work is weighing heavily on him when his only focus right now should be healing and staying alive.

If you’ve donated, shared, prayed, or checked in on us, thank you. Truly. Your support has helped us survive the scariest months of our lives. If you’re able to continue sharing or supporting, it means more than we can put into words. Our goal right now is simple: give Chris the time and space he needs to heal.

Thank you for being here with us.

Our family’s world was turned upside down when Chris was diagnosed with B-Cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. He is now undergoing an intense chemotherapy treatment plan at the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, where he will remain for at least 4 weeks and continue to return for treatments for the foreseeable future.

As Chris battles this disease with everything he has, he faces another harsh reality—he will be unable to work for at least 9 months. On top of medical challenges, this creates an overwhelming financial strain. The last thing Chris should have to worry about while fighting for his life is how to make ends meet.

This fundraiser was created to help ease that burden—covering travel expenses so his family can be by his side, and helping to offset the loss of his income during this time.

Chris is a loving husband, father, son, brother, and friend who means so much to so many. His strength and courage are inspiring, but he cannot do this alone. Every donation—no matter the size—will bring comfort and relief to Chris and his family as they face this fight together.

If you cannot give, please consider sharing this fundraiser and lifting Chris up in your prayers and positive thoughts.

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for supporting Chris in the ultimate fight of his life.

A bit more information: In April, my Sarah took a pay cut to follow her dream job, not knowing how quickly life would change. With new insurance and rising costs, their family now sits in that tough middle ground—making too much to qualify for much help, but not enough to cover the heavy financial burden of medical bills and constant travel.