Hi everyone,

As many of you know, our amazing friend Cristina has been in the heat of her battle with operable, stage 3 rectal cancer since being diagnosed in July. She has shown incredible strength through months of chemotherapy and radiation, all while navigating the beautiful chaos of her daughter Olea Jean’s first year of kindergarten.

The Reality of the Long Haul

While Cristina has been incredibly brave, the reality of the "marathon" is setting in. She currently has two more months of chemotherapy remaining, followed by at least two major surgeries scheduled between March and May, plus the subsequent healing and follow-up care.

To make matters even more surreal, Cristina’s mother was recently diagnosed with inoperable Stage 3 lung cancer. Her mother is currently undergoing an even more rigorous course of chemotherapy and radiation. Cristina is serving as her mother’s caregiver while fighting her own stage 3 diagnosis. Navigating your own treatment is a mountain - doing so while caring for a parent is a weight no one should carry alone.

Solidarity for a Dedicated Leader

Cristina has always been a fighter—not just for herself, but for others. As a highly active and dedicated member of her Union, she has spent years advocating for her colleagues and standing up for her work family.

She has utilized and is incredibly grateful for the Union Sick Leave Bank and the support she’s received so far, but as the surgeries approach and her caregiving demands intensify, the financial and physical strain is mounting. It is time for us to show Cristina the same solidarity she has always shown us.

How We Can Show Up

We are raising funds to provide a vital safety net so Cristina can focus entirely on her health, her mother’s care, and her daughter. Your support will help ease the burden of mounting medical expenses, daily living costs, and the practical needs of a household in a double-medical crisis. By removing the stress of financial logistics, we are giving Cristina the space she needs to heal and care for her family.

How You Can Help

If you’ve already given, thank you. If you’re looking for a way to help now, a donation of any size, or simply sharing this link, makes a massive difference. And as Cristina always says, she’ll never turn down a good joke or a meme to brighten a treatment day.

Thank you for continuing to stand with Cristina, Olea Jean, and their family during this impossible time.