Hi, I'm Emily, and I'm organizing this fundraiser on behalf of my sister Sara and her husband Chris. Many people don’t know this, but Chris was diagnosed with cancer in November 2024. While we all hoped chemotherapy would shrink the tumor enough to remove it with a less invasive procedure, that unfortunately hasn’t happened. After months of appointments and difficult decisions, he’s scheduled for a major surgery—an abdominal perineal resection—that will hopefully remove the entire tumor but will also result in a permanent colostomy. This is a life-altering procedure with a long recovery ahead—and no guarantee that the cancer won’t return.

Chris will be unable to work for at least a month. He’s the primary caregiver for their two young kids, Charlotte (7) and Cameron (4), and works night shifts delivering for Strange Donuts. Sara teaches full-time and also works after school at Burn Boot Camp, in addition to running an online business. She’ll be using all her personal and family sick leave to take time off from teaching and won’t be able to do her side jobs for at least two weeks. Together, their extra income covers groceries, gas, the car payment, and medical bills. With a high-deductible insurance plan, those bills have already added up—and will continue to grow after surgery.

This is not easy for them to ask. Sara and Chris have always worked hard to stay afloat and keep things steady for their family. But right now, they could use a cushion. All donations will go directly to their personal account to cover immediate living expenses and medical costs while Chris recovers and Sara balances work, caregiving, and everything in between. Any amount—big or small—would be deeply appreciated and will make a real difference in helping them get through this incredibly difficult time.