McKenzie End-of-Life Fund

On September 9, 2022, McKenzie Joslin-Snyder was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and promptly underwent chemo. After several more rounds of consolidation chemo, she received a bone marrow transplant in January 2023. You can follow the whole journey on her CaringBridge site.

After a grueling recovery period, McKenzie appeared to be on her way to a cure. Unfortunately, on June 28 we learned that the leukemia had returned. In September of 2024, we ran out of curative options and transitioned to palliative care.

While we’re doing our best to stay positive, McKenzie and I (TJ, her partner of 15 years) are heartbroken by these horrible circumstances. The past two years have been very difficult financially: Kenzie’s compromised immune system has rendered her unable to work, and caregiving has limited my capacity to earn an income. We’ve confronted the reality that we need additional financial help with living expenses.

For those outside our immediate circle, McKenzie is a 35-year-old wildlife rehabilitator with Portland Audubon. When not helping orphaned or injured native wildlife, she excels at a number of hobbies: drawing, embroidery, pottery, gardening, sewing, video games—the list goes on.

We thank you in advance for helping alleviate a big source of anxiety so we can focus on making Kenzie’s final days as wonderful as possible.