A dear friend of mine, Chris Womack, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in January of last year. For a while, it looked like he might be able to manage his condition with active surveillance, but earlier this year his doctors determined that surgery is necessary. This means he will need to have his prostate removed, and he'll need support during his recovery. Unfortunately, he doesn't have anyone nearby who can help him, and his home isn't set up for a guest to stay.

Chris is incredibly sweet, smart, funny, literate, and caring. He has two daughters who would love nothing more than to see their father happy and healthy after surgery. He's suffered from depression for many years, and he doesn’t deserve to face this challenge alone.

I'm able to work remotely, so I'm planning to travel from Chico to Orange County to stay with Chris for about six weeks, to be with him during his hospital stay and the early phase of his recovery, when he'll need the most help and support. I'll drive down since the cost of flying plus a rental car is extremely expensive. My car is over 30 years old and I can't trust it for the long drive so I'll need to rent a car, which I would need to do no matter how I traveled there as Chris does not own a car. We've made preliminary reservations for lodging and transportation, but the costs are significant—neither of us makes enough to cover these expenses without depleting our savings. The expenses for a place to stay, a rental car, medical supplies not covered by insurance, and loss of his income for over a month are more than we can manage alone. Neither of us have retirement savings or any other resources we can tap into, and I'll still need to pay for my rent and utilities while I'm helping Chris with his recovery.

We would be incredibly grateful for your support. Dealing with cancer is stressful under any circumstances, but trying to manage with no support nearby and with limited finances makes it even harder. It would break my heart if Chris had to go through this alone, and I'm so thankful to be able to help him. Your donation will help make his recovery successful and ensure he has someone by his side during this difficult time.