Help Chris and Hailey Fight a Rare & Aggressive Cancer

Help Chris Fight a Rare and Aggressive Cancer

Hi everyone,

My name is Chris, and just a few months ago, in May 2024, I married my best friend, Hailey. We were excited to start our life together, making plans for the future—until everything changed in an instant.

In early December, I started experiencing what I thought was minor back pain. I chalked it up to sleeping in a weird position or pulling a muscle, so I took ibuprofen, used Icy Hot, and kept pushing through. But the pain didn’t go away—it got worse. It spread through my entire abdomen, becoming so intense that by early January, I was screaming in pain, trying everything from massage guns to chiropractors, stretching, lidocaine, Tiger Balm—nothing worked.

That’s when we decided it was time to go to urgent care. They sent us to the emergency room, where we learned that I had severely swollen lymph nodes in my back, pressing against sensitive organs and causing unbearable pain. From there, I was referred to a specialist, and a flood of tests—bloodwork, scans, ultrasounds—began.

Before the results even came back, I had another night of mind-bending pain. I called my doctor, and they told me I was having an active medical emergency—I needed to get to the ER immediately. Once there, we learned my kidney function had dropped to dangerous levels, my bloodwork was completely off, and my cancer markers were 40-100 times the normal range for an adult.

I was hospitalized for nearly a week. More scans, more tests—until finally, we got an answer. I was diagnosed with primary retroperitoneal embryonic germ cell cancer, stage 4.

This all happened in just two to three weeks. One moment, we were dreaming about our future—now, we’re fighting to make sure I have one.

The doctors believe this cancer is treatable, but it’s extremely rare and comes with a very high recurrence rate. Even if I reach full remission, I could be facing this battle again every 3 to 5 years.

The emotional toll of this diagnosis is overwhelming, but the financial burden is just as heavy. The cost of treatments, hospital stays, specialists, and the everyday expenses that come with fighting cancer are staggering. As I focus on healing, I’m asking for support from those who know and care about us.

Your donations will help cover medical costs and allow Hailey and me to navigate this unexpected and difficult road ahead. Every contribution—big or small—means the world to us. If you can’t donate, simply sharing this page or sending words of encouragement makes a difference.

From the bottom of my heart, thank you for your love, kindness, and support. We never imagined we’d be in this position, but knowing we have an incredible community behind us gives us the strength to keep fighting.

With love and gratitude,

Chris & Hailey Tunca