I am Strong. I am Loved. Christopher's Fight Against Cancer

Christopher has recently been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Lymphoma, a challenging journey that has turned our world upside down. This cancer is typically found in adolescence, so Christopher is quiet young at only 6 to receive this diagnosis. Christopher is stage 4, with significant cancer throughout his body. While we are grateful for the care he received at St. Louis Children's Hospital, we are now preparing to travel to and from St. Jude Children's Research Hospital for specialized treatment.

St. Jude is renowned for its innovative clinical trials and cutting-edge treatments for childhood cancers. We are hopeful that their expertise will give Christopher the best chance at beating this disease. However, the financial burden of this journey is overwhelming.

We are reaching out for support to help cover:

1. Outstanding medical bills from St. Louis Children's Hospital and Mercy Springfield. We spent 13 days in the hospital before heading to St. Judes. These medical bills will be a stress, as I (mom) have had to close my Etsy shop to support Christopher fully during this time.

2. A new wagon to keep Christopher comfortable during his treatments. Christopher has been having alot of leg pain, as the cancer has been found in his hip region making it difficult for him to walk. He is in pain when he walks and gets easily tired.

3. New tires for our car to ensure safe travel to and from St. Jude. This was on our end of the year list, but with all of the travel to and from Memphis it has moved up on the list.

4. A replacement windshield, as ours cracked amidst all of this. When Brian (dad) drove up to St. Louis when we got the official cancer diagnosis, I thought he was messing with me that our windshield cracked, but it really is just icing on this terrible cake.

5. Monthly bills. Brian's work has been great working with him and allowing him to use all of his vacation and sick pay for the time being. We know that unpaid FMLA will be an option if we get there, but without my Etsy income to supplement we know bills will start adding up.

6. Legos. Christopher is a big lego fan, and anything extra will help us get small prizes to help bring big smiles to his face on the especially hard days.

Thank you for your support, prayers, and kindness during this difficult time. If you know Christopher he is a fighter, maybe this is why God made him so strong.

We are devastated by this diagnosis, its never supposed to be your kid. He is the center of so many people's lives and his humor is still getting us through. This kid is so loved, as shown through all of the support we have received so far. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a significant difference in Christopher's fight.

"Thank you, St. Jude, for the promise of hope you hold out to all who believe, and inspire me to give this gift of hope to others."