Help Kris Machnik during cancer treatment

Note from Liz Horn and Jennifer Sanders James:

We have set up this GoFundMe to support our friend Kris Machnik, who is dealing with the physical, emotional and financial challenges of cancer. Please read her story below and thank you for considering donating to Kris and her family to help them navigate this very difficult time. And please share this link with any of the many people in the community who care about Kris and the Parr family.

Message from Kris:

The first week of November I discovered a lump in my breast which was confirmed to be breast cancer. The day before Thanksgiving I learned it was an aggressive cancer that has spread and involves my lymph nodes. Plans for surgery were immediately cancelled, and I began further testing and then started an aggressive regimen of chemo which will last approximately 4 months, to be followed by surgery for removal and reconstruction, radiation therapy for several months, and then 8-12 months of targeted chemo/immunotherapy.

I unfortunately have a combination of conditions that have significantly complicated my ability to receive chemotherapy without the need for lengthy in-patient admission. I have now been in the hospital for 18 days with no discharge date set, and just received my 3rd round of chemo. I have been away from work since January 31. I'm a middle school science teacher in Chicopee, and once my available sick time is depleted, I will not receive any pay for days that I miss at school, which will severely affect our family's finances just as my second child is preparing for his first year of college. I'm the proud mom of Liam Parr, a senior at NHS, and Maddie Parr, NHS class of '23, who is in her first year of college.

My husband, Jeff, an Amherst firefighter, had open heart surgery in April 2023 and was out of work for 3 months, returning to work this past July. The financial strain at that time was more manageable, but any reserves that were available are long gone, and now we need more support.

Any assistance that would lessen this burden would be greatly appreciated.