Rachel's Colon Cancer Fund

Hello and welcome everyone! My name is Mandy and I have known Rachel for almost two years. I met her through a friend of a friend and over time we have become good friends. I hosted a Thirty-One Party for Rachel a few months back and we've kept in touch ever since. Rachel actually prepared a Thirty-One Gift Bag "Basket" for a fundraiser I did for a friend of mine who was diagnosed with breast cancer in the last year. She selflessly put together the bag just to help out someone she didn't even know, who was in medical and financial peril.

Fast forward to two weeks ago. I got a message from Rachel asking how I was doing. She knew that I was going to the same doctor's office she went to, as I was being treated for a minor medical condition. I thought... wow that was so thoughtful of her to ask. So I gave her my update and asked her how she was doing. And that's when she told me... she was recently diagnosed with Stage 3 Colon Cancer. I think I almost dropped my phone when I read those words. Tears came to my eyes. I couldn't believe it. She is such a vibrant young woman and she always wears a smile. She's always so active with her job, family, friends and her boyfriend, Josh. I would have never guessed that she was dealing with what she's been dealt with. To be honest, I don't think she would have ever let on if she didn't have to. Because that's Rachel... full of life, tough as nails and one of the most selfless people that I know. I told her if there was any way I could help to please let me know.  Thankfully, the doctors do think they got all the cancer.  However, cancer is a messy thing.  Therefore, there's going to be a lot of medical monitoring, tests and treatment to ensure that Rachel is staying healthy.

Another week went by and I got a text message from Rachel.  She had reached out to me knowing that I was a part of a support group for my friend who was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.  Rachel had a few questions about fundraising to cover her own medical bills. The group that I was a part of helped in various ways to offer prayer, as well as emotional and monetary support. Rachel's main concern about fundraising was yet again, selfless.  She wanted to know whether or not her condition was bad enough to justify fundraising. I truly believe that anyone dealing with cancer - no matter what kind - should not have to focus on bearing a financial burden. Their focus should be on resting and healing. Rachel currently has a couple thousand dollars in medical bills and countless other medical tests and scans to monitor her current health condition. Not all of these will be covered by insurance. And that is where we come in! Rachel is going to need our prayers, she is going to need support and she is also - modestly - asking for financial support. If you can find it in your heart to give to Rachel's Colon Cancer Fund, she would be ever so grateful. Remember friends, no amount is too small. Rachel would be blessed by any donation. Give what you can give. Every little bit helps! And if you are able to give above and beyond, that would also be a blessing to Rachel as well. But the size of your donation is not what's important! Rachel appreciates all of your support and especially your prayers!! Please also consider joining Rachel's Facebook Group: "Rachel's Colon Cancer Support Group." You can search that name on Facebook or ask Rachel to add you to the group. That page will be a great way to stay connected about further fundraisers and updates on Rachel!

Awareness has also been one of the most important things to Rachel throughout all of this.  She wants to highlight and address the importance of Colon Cancer Awareness to as many people as she can.  So below are a few pictures of Rachel, and her story of how she found out she was diagnosed with Colon Cancer.  Please consider taking a few moments to read it if you would.  Thank you!!

<3 <3 <3 As a Thirty-One representative, Rachel participated in a program called "Chemo Comfort Bags," for cancer patients going though chemotherapy.  These bags were donated to the Ann B. Barshinger Cancer Institute.  Little did Rachel know, she would soon become a patient there just a few months later. <3 <3 <3

**Rachel with her older brother, Jeremy. **

.+' Rachel with her older brother, Adam. '+.

// Rachel with her sister-in-law, Sam (Adam's wife). //

.~* Rachel with her mom at the park on Mother's Day a couple years ago. *~.

~ Rachel with her older brothers Adam & Jeremy, as well as her grandma. Rachel's grandma passed away in 2006.  She had colon cancer twice. ~

<<  Rachel with the love of her life, her boyfriend, Josh.  >>

<<>> Rachel & Josh always loved to dance together.  Many times they'd dance at Low Places.  In this case it was at a pow wow.  <<>>

~ Rachel spending time with her Nephew Collin & Niece Gabby. ~

_-= Rachel, hunting with her dad. =-_

''' Rachel taking the dogs for a walk. '''

.`* Selfie time, with Rachel and her mom. *`.


**Rachel with her mom (left) and Aunt Shelby (right) at the Fulton Theatre.**

Rachel's Story:

I started having symptoms about 10 years ago, yes 10. It often made me wonder what was wrong, but I kept it to myself, not wanting anyone to worry about me. So years passed, and I just tried to ignore what was going on and pretended everything was fine. I actually started having very real and scary moments where I would sit and think, we are very small in this big world, and at any moment we could be gone from this earth. I believe now, thinking back, that was a little nudge from God to go to the doctor.

One morning I got up to start my day, and I used the bathroom.  I noticed something unusual and it was an even scarier moment than I was prepared for, not knowing what in the world was going on inside me. I contemplated going to Urgent Care, but then I got my thoughts together and made the decision to wait until Monday morning to make an appointment with RGAL (Regional Gastroenterology Associates of Lancaster) at the health campus. I had a consult appointment with Dr. Whitebloom, where I described my symptoms and talked with him about the next steps. He scheduled me for a colonoscopy on December 31st. Happy New Year to me!

So I did my prep for the colonoscopy, and let me say the stuff you have to drink is not all that bad! As long as you like Gatorade you are golden! It disolves right in and is not gritty or bad tasting at all!! I went in for my colonoscopy and afterwards Dr. Whitebloom told me I would need to have an operation to take out a golfball sized polyp in my colon. I said okay, no big deal.  I never had an operation before, but this can't be too bad.

Fast forward to March 21, the morning of surgery. I was very nervous, like a five year old that never had surgery before. There were lots of unknowns.  Would I wake up in the middle of surgery?  Would I feel anything?  Would I not wake up after surgery?  But surgery went fine. I had plenty of large intestine for them to work with and Dr. Newman and his team performed a colon resection. They took out a large section of my colon, which included the polyp. They did what they call a cancer cut, not knowing what may be inside that polyp. I was in the hospital for almost three days and then sent home to recover. I was told they were doing a biopsy of the polyp to rule out anything, and I would hear back within a few days.

Fast forward two weeks, I haven't heard anything. I figured no news was good news. April 4, my first day back to work, and my cell phone rings. It was Dr. Newman, who proceeded to tell me the polyp was cancerous. I was told I had colon cancer. My brain stopped, all I could say was, "Okay." He made the choice to call me instead of bringing me in for an appointment, because he had previous bad experiences where he asked the patient to come to the office.  When the patient made their way into the office they would get into an accident because they were so worried that they weren't focused enough on driving. I actually didn't mind the phone call opposed to the office visit.  This way I could go right home and let it sink in. After the phone call I broke down and my world stopped. I was consoled by a coworker, and then I went home to tell my parents and the rest of my loved ones. That afternoon a nurse practitioner called from Ann Barshinger Institute to schedule an appointment with an oncologist by the name of Dr. Balepur. He said I needed to do six months of IV chemo, due to the fact that my cancer was stage 3 and had grown outside of the colon wall into the lymph nodes. I would most likely lose my hair, experience neuropathy which may or may not go away after chemo, feel nauseous, and lose my ability to have children, for which I was referred to Hershey Medical Center to do the IVF/ egg freezing process. That was a lot to take in, but being told how urgent it was to get started, I followed all the steps as I was told.

I was then scheduled for a PET scan on April 15 to determine if the cancer had spread to another part of my body. From April 4th, until the day I found out the results of my scan, I was literally scared to death, not knowing if I would live through this. Those were the “most real” 2 weeks of my entire life. Endless thoughts running through my head. I became closer with God than ever before in my life. Monday April 18th my results showed up on MyLGHealth online after I got to work. I read through it, I literally started shaking thinking to myself this sounds good, but read it over and over again trying to understand the medical terminology. I then asked a nurse coworker to read it over. She looked at me and said you’re going to be ok, it didn’t spread. Then it was happy tears, and lots of them. The best day of my life since being diagnosed.

All tests and scans so far have shown that they got all the cancer out, but they can’t be 100% certain there aren’t cancer stem cells left that are floating around in my blood stream, hence the chemo treatment.

In the days following, I went up to Hershey to start the 12-14 day IVF process, began to get 2 injections a day at home by my mom who offered to help since I couldn't stick myself with a needle. What fun.

I went for a second opinion at Hershey Med with Dr. Jia. She told me the same thing Dr. Balepur did, only she offered a pill form of the chemo. Side effects of the pill are: nausea, diarrhea, and possibly hand and foot syndrome (palms and bottom of feet may get red and dry, can be treated with lotion). No loss of hair, no loss of fertility, no neuropathy!

In the meantime my boyfriend's buddy gave him a DVD set called, "The Truth about Cancer". Which opened up a whole new world to me. It explains the history about chemo and the medical world. One thing that stuck out to me was the fact that the IV chemo that was being recommended for me actually has drugs in it that cause other cancers. That was a big deal to me obviously. It explained how many cancers can be cured naturally. This all just made me stop and think for myself for a moment.

I stopped the injections, and at my next appointment I told Dr. Balepur I wasn't going to do chemo. I asked him if the IV chemo cause a different type of cancer in my body, and he said yes, it could. I told him I would not do the IV chemo. I had a better idea. Eating healthier and organic, using natural supplements, and essential oils. Well needless to say he didn't like that answer. He agreed this all would help, but I still needed to do some form of chemo. He acknowledged the pill form as an option, and gave me two more weeks to think it over.

So I started researching everything I could about holistic medicine and where there was a doctor locally. I was referred to Dr. Reece, with whom I met with, went over my diagnosis, and discussed what he could offer to me. He gave me five different supplements which he told me would boost the effectiveness of the chemo pill. Grape seed extract, Theracumin, Green tea extract, Mushroom extract, and Dim-evail.

Went back to Dr. Balepur and showed him my supplements and gave him good news when I told him I would do the pill form of chemo! He was relieved, stating he really was worried about this cancer coming back if I didn't do chemo, at my young age he thought it would've been a bad idea if I did nothing. So I started my 5FU chemo pills on May 30th. I take them twice a day for two weeks straight.  Then for a week I don’t take them at all.  Then the three week cycle starts over again. I will be taking my chemo pills for six months. I will need lots of tests and scans throughout to monitor my status. I also take my five supplements every day.  Five in the morning and two in the evening, which I pay for out of pocket (since the holistic doctors are not acknowledged by the insurance companies).

I’m hoping the side effects don’t hit me too hard. I would like to continue working, keep up with family activities, and just continue on with normal life. I would like to shout from the mountain tops that no matter how young you are, you need to take care of yourself and get to the doctor when you feel there is something wrong. Don’t wait until it is too late. I feel very very blessed that God has watched over me with the help of my Grandma in heaven who had colon cancer twice. I thank God every morning for waking me up and giving me another day of this life. I continue to pray for complete healing and that the supplements and chemo pills will do their job and heal any remaining cancer cells in my body.