A Father's Wish

Nicholas (age 10), Noah (age 8) and Dominic (6 months old) have but one wish for their father… that he didn’t have Osteosarcoma (a rare form of cancer).

Chris Allain, well known NH musician suffers from a rare form of cancer known as Osteosarcoma.

Father’s Wish Update

August 15th, 2006

Chris M. Allain
August 13, 2006

Chris M. Allain, 38, of Manchester, died August 13, 2006, at Catholic Medical Center after a courageous battle with cancer.

He was born in Manchester, June 3, 1968, and was the son of Maurice and Jeanne (Morin) Allain. He was raised in Berlin, NH, and had been a Manchester resident the past 20 years. He was a graduate of Berlin High School and later attended Plymouth State College where he studied music education.

Mr. Allain had been employed by H & O Dental Lab for several years. In recent years he was employed by Fidelity Investments.

He was a communicant of Ste. Marie Church where he was co director of the Contemporary Music Ministry. He was also a member of the Men of St. Joseph. He was a founding member of the Jimmy Lehoux Band.

Family members include his wife of 15 years, Michelle L. (Ackley) Allain of Manchester; three sons, Nicholas C. Allain, Noah M. Allain, and Dominic M.R. Allain, all of Manchester; his parents of Berlin, NH; his twin brother Keith Allain of Laconia, and his brother Kevin Allain of Berlin; his paternal grandmother, Julia Allain of Berlin; an aunt and several nieces.

Calling hours are Wednesday from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 pm at Lambert Funeral Home & Crematory, 1799 Elm St., corner of North St., Manchester.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated Thursday at 10 am at Ste. Marie Church, 378 Notre Dame Ave., Manchester. Burial will follow in Mount Calvary Cemetery.

Memorial donations may be made to the Chris Allain Fund, c/o Ste. Marie Church, 133 Wayne St., Manchester, NH 03102.

We would like to ask you to go to www.fatherswish.org and post a message for the family under the "Leave Chris a Message". If your message is too personal we would ask that you email it to info@fatherswish.org and we will make sure Michelle receives it.

We would like to thank all of you for your support during this very difficult time and we remind you that Michelle, Nicholas, Noah and Dominic need your prayers and support now more than ever.

Friends of Chris Allain

August 13th, 2006

Hello everyone,

I write with the sad news that Chris Allain went home to be with the Lord at about 5:30 this evening. When I spoke with Michelle earlier, she was sad, but very strong. She told me that Fr. Marc, Chris’ parents and brother and herself were all with him and that God gave her the grace and strength to pray him into heaven. She said, "it was very beautiful and a very peaceful experience." She is sad and not afraid to cry and let her feelings be known, but as always, Michelle leaves me in a state of awe at her great strength and courage. She is an amazing woman of wisdom, faith and trust in God. She has 3 beautiful boys to raise and I know WITHOUT ANY DOUBT that they will be men with the same great strength and courage that their mom has. I also know that though they don’t fully understand God’s plan for them yet, they will stand firm with him and allow him to guide and direct their lives.

Please join me in continuing our prayer support for this family, not only during this time of grieving, sadness, thanksgiving and celebration of Chris’ life, but also throughout the course of the next year or so.

For the MANY of you who have responded to my earlier email not only to offer prayers but also about making meals, babysitting, and doing anything else they need – THANK YOU! The emails I have received is overwhelming and heart-warming to say the least. I will put together a list and schedule of what Michelle needs and get back to people by the end of the week.

It is sad that Chris had to leave us at such an early age, but it’s also a great blessing to have been a witness to his faith, strength and courage in life. It is also a privilege as well as a blessing to have heard the music of his guitar, his voice and witnessed his great love for God.

Chris, with heart felt sadness for our loss, but our great joy for your gain of heaven, we love you and will miss you. We promise to take good care of all that you have left behind.

Lord, into your hands, we commend Chris’ soul and ask your blessings on those of us who remain here to mourn his loss. Help us in our grieving to find comfort and peace through your tender mercy.

God bless you all!

Terry

August 13th, 2006

Here's an update on Chris's situation, written by a very close friend of
the family.

Friends of Chris Allain

*****

Hello Everyone,

I'm writing with a very sad update on Chris Allain and to ask you all to
pray very hard right now for him and his family.  He's in the final stages
of cancer and preparing to go home to the Lord.  He is at CMC and is
failing.

A couple of weeks ago, he experienced some very bad pain throughout his
back, they discovered a large mass in his abdomen that extends from his
lungs, around his diaphragm and pushes up again his liver.  Then, this
past week on Tues., he fell and split his lip.  While in the hospital
having his lip stitched, his oxygen levels were very low.  When he
couldn't sustain a good oxygen level on his own, they decided to admit
him.  A CT scan on his brain came through clear, but he continued to
experience some difficulties. It's been downhill since.

Many close friends have visited today and Michelle is spending the night
at the hospital.  It really could be any time now.  Michelle and Chris are
ready practically speaking and their faith remains very strong.   But the
emotional ups and downs of someone in the final stages of cancer are very
difficult on all of them.  Nicholas and Noah are fully aware of what is
happening.  They are very sad and upset with God, but they too continue to
have great faith that God will see them through all of this.

So I beg you all - pray very hard for this family that God surround them
with his protection, peace, comfort and consolation.  I will email
everyone any updates as I get them.

I am taking names of those who wish to make a meal for the family.
Michelle is asking that it be kept to just 3 meals a week and she will
give me a list of likes and dislikes.  We'd like to start the meals on
Monday the 14th and cover about 3 weeks for now.  Anyone interested can
email me at info@fatherswish.org .

Michelle may also have some babysitting needs over the course of the next
week or two, so any teens who know the boys well and can drive or whose
parents can bring them to Michelle and then pick them up and can volunteer
their time is most appreciated.  Again, you can reach me by the above
means after Sat.

This is especially hard since Sat., the 12th is the 6th anniversary of
Michelle's father's death.  So we thank you in advance for your prayer
support and offerings of Masses for them.  God bless you all and I'll be
in touch soon.

Terry Bolduc

 


November 5th, 2005

Chris is back home and doing much better.  Here is a picture of Chris taken at a resent Jimmy Lehoux concert that Chris played at.

As always keep Chris and his family in your prayers.

Friends of Chris Allain

August 30, 2005

Chis is back in the hospital. It appears that he taken a few steps back with regards to his health. Please pray for him and his family as they need it now more than ever.

Friends of Chris Allain

June 27, 2005

As a result of this diagnosis Chris must endure TEN months of aggressive chemotherapy.  Chris will have to go for an overnight hospital stay once a week for three weeks, and then remain hospitalized for a full 4th week before having one week to recuperate from the treatment before the next session begins.  He will repeat this pattern well into 2006

The Friends of Chris Allain thank the hundreds of well-wishers who donated from the bottom of their hearts and wallets, and have been keeping Chris and his family in prayer. The concert at the Palace Theater on Father’s Day was an enormously successful venture with nearly every seat sold, extensive press coverage on local TV, radio, and print media, and over $25,000 raised to date for the family.

Now the curtain has closed, the sold out crowd has gone home, and Chris Allain and his family face the greatest challenge of their lives. Chris has begun his chemotherapy and it is starting to affect him physically. The sad reality of the chemical is that in order to eliminate the cancer cells, it must also weaken the patient.

Thus, we still need your support and there are many ways you can still be involved:
  1. Pray for Chris and his family and leave them a message right here on the site.
  2. You may purchase a Father’s Wish CD, which includes selections from songs that Chris has authored or had a large part in its recording.
  3. You may decide to donate to the Chris Allain fund.
  4. Check back to fatherswish.org regularly for updates on Chris and his recovery.
  5. Simply click on the appropriate tab on the left side of this page.

The Father’s Wish project is bigger than the sold out concert, the money raised, and the relief it is providing for the Allain family. It gives us all an opportunity to care about something bigger than ourselves and to give back to someone who has given his talent freely and blessed our lives for many years. As a result, we are also teaching our children the importance of selflessness and the hope that comes from compassion.

With your help, we can fulfill one Father’s Wish.Chris Allain

Chris is an accomplished musician and songwriter. Although Chris has performed for over twenty years on many instruments, he settled into playing bass during his early college years. He attended Plymouth State College as a music education major and completed in-depth studies of both the electric bass and upright acoustic bass. He also learned to play and teach woodwind, string, and brass instruments and studied music theory and composition.

He has worked in some aspect of the music business since his college years, from teaching music to songwriting and recording, from performing in alternative rock bands to performing in musicals. He has performed with his church’s contemporary Christian music group for over a dozen years and is recorded on several album’s. He has played bass for The Jimmy LeHoux Band since their formation in the fall of 1996. He also provides vocal harmonies on all of the band’s songs and arranges instrumental and vocal parts for the group.

If you would like to help in any way please check out the How Can I Help section of the website.

Compilation CD

A Father's Wish" Compilation CD will be available in the coming weeks. This CD will feature music that Chris has authored or had a large part in its recording.  The music player is available so you may listen to the tracks before purchasing.

The CD will be available for purchase online soon.

All proceeds will go to the Chris Allain Fund.