Ride for Rachel: A Fund for Lung Cancer Treatment

The Matter at Hand

Good grief; what a tumultuous year 2020 turned out to be. The health of countless people jeopardized and compromised by an invisible enemy. A mogul in professional sports gone from the world too soon. Divergences between human beings tried the coherence and strength of our society, beyond a doubt. An unsteady economy produced resonant effects upon many. Hell – to top it off – a presidential election of epic proportions took place just before we could flip to another calendar year.

We pleaded for 2021 to usher in stability unto a world plagued by magnitudes of disorder.

However, more adversity came about in the preliminary stages of the new year, for one Rachel Gualandi-Barrow.

On Thursday, Februrary 4th, 2021, our mother Rachel was given a medical diagnosis that's become her biggest challenge in life, to-date. It was unveiled by medical professionals that there exists a less-than 5cm cancerous tumor in the upper right quadrant of her right lung. Our mother contracted Limited-Stage II [Regional] Small Cell Lung Carcinoma – a formidably aggressive form of lung cancer.

A formidably aggressive disease that comes with an equally burdensome cost for its assumed treatment. We have utmost faith in the strength of this woman, and the correct treatment, to foster a cure that leaves our mother cancer-free.

Rachel is putting faith in humanity to help our family afford it. That's where you come in.



The Background

Our mother can always look forward to starting off a new year on the right foot, as her birthday falls on January 7th . For her recent 46th birthday, though, it was impossible for her to fathom the difficulties that were ahead.

From the end of December 'til the 7th of January, Rachel suspected something eerie occurring in her chest. It caused her shortness of breath, and the feeling of breathing she generally described as 'heavy.' She theorized it indicated potential symptoms of CoVID-19...which in all honesty, was highly plausible to consider.

Shortly after celebrating her birthday, a peculiar and sharp pain on the right side of her torso urged her to seek medical attention. “It felt as if a car ran into the right side of my chest,” she explained to us over a video call.

January 12th, 2021: Thanks to a visit to the Urgent Care, Rachel discovered she'd been harboring pneumonia in her right lung. Doctors scheduled her follow up on January 20th, 2021 for a PET Scan; in brief...a comprehensive imaging technique that exploits radioactive dye, typically to analyze lung function, and map out the organ alongside CT scans. In the meantime, she was prescribed antibiotics in attempts to eliminate the possibilities of bacterial infection. Fungal parasites and tumors were the only two prospects left to consider.

January 20th, 2021: The antibiotics appeared to effectively reduce the fluid found in her lung. The PET scan revealed a mass of cells in its upper right quadrant. Additionally, near her esophagus, a cluster of lymph nodes revealed clumps of tissue. The pneumonia was her body's natural response to the tumor. In order to determine the nature of it (i.e. to be classified either malignant or benign), her team of doctors coordinated her first-ever-intra-lung biopsy to take place January 25th . In layman's terms, their objective was to pull a piece of tissue from the large mass in her lung via surgery.

February 4th, 2021: What a phone call to remember. Truly, it was a discussion forever imprinted in our memories. The biopsy rendered grim results. Our mother exhibited undeniable proof of Small Cell Lung Cancer – or SCLC in short. Luckily, Rachel and her team of doctors caught the disease at an acute and early stage.

Only every 1 out of 3 SCLC patients are this fortunate. What a silver lining to a dismal circumstance.

This was an extremely difficult process for our mother to experience, for one set of specific reasons. CoVID-19 guidelines for hospitals in the State of Maine forced her to experience all of this ALONE. Not a familiar soul by her side, except for when the prognosis was given.

She laced up her war boots, and prepared to embark on an odyssey of a lifetime...A 12 week long series of both chemo-based injection and radiation therapies.



Why Lung Cancer?

In order to accept the harshest realities in life, we all must come face-to-face with the heaviest of truths to digest. About ourselves, our choices, our shortcomings, and the fact that we are not perfect by any means. Rachel was exposed to secondhand smoke in her youth, and was a smoker for quite some time. She officially quit smoking cigarettes  during February of 2015. She was bolder than ever, and realized it was time to facilitate a MAJOR change for the better of her health. To gain more control over her life.

Let's just say [in due time] the cancer-causing agents found in years of cigarette smoke came back around to complicate her health.

Four out of every five SCLC patients are statistically proven to possess a history of smoking tobacco products. The carcinogens found in these products can promote radically abnormal growth in cells they come in contact with. Take heed: Warning labels on tobacco products are to be taken with utmost caution!!!


Current Treatment & Definitions

Rachel's first (and hopefully last) series of chemotherapy began on February 16th. She will sustain it up to the first week of May. It's devised into three incremental rounds among 10-12 weeks time. As of late, she commenced radiation therapy on March 9th. The latter is an everyday obligation.

To those who are aware of the ferocity of both forms of therapy:  Our mother is handling them like a champion, and her body is responding well to them thus far. In fact, she has not given us any indication that the treatment is fazing her out, whatsoever.

For those less informed on the functionality of these treatments:  We are happy to explain how they are aiding in Rachel's recovery...

Chemotherapy: This therapeutic approach is used to narrow the size of tumors caused by, prevent the spread of, ease symptoms of, and/or kill cancer cells via intravenous (IV) injections, transfusion into the blood, or by ingesting orally. In short – cancer treatment specialists utilize high-powered drugs on patients meant to disrupt cancer cells from reproducing, and prevent the spread to other parts of the body, including the brain, reproductive organs, so on and so forth. Not only do these drugs target areas particular to where cancer is found, but they stand on guard throughout the entire circulatory system as well.

Keep in mind; just because Rachel's cancer started in her right lung, does not suggest it cannot appear in other regions of her body. It is certainly easy for this particular cancer to travel within the bloodstream, due to the fact that lungs play a major role in oxygenating one's blood. Cancer cells pose a risk of breaking off within the lung into the circulatory system. And, well, all parts of our bodies (minus our corneas) consist of blood vessels...you get the point. For more information about the general applications of chemotherapy as cancer treatment, visit:

'The American Society "How Chemotherapy Drugs Work"'

In our mother's case, there are two different chemo-based drugs actively applied as treatment; Cisplatin and Etoposide. Their respective functions can be found by clicking the link above. These are delicately fed through an injection port that peeks out the surface of her chest, connected to a tube positioned internally, that delivers the chemo drugs directly into her bloodstream. When Rachel is scheduled for chemotherapy, it consists of three days in consecutive order. On the first, she receives Cisplatin. For the next two, just Etoposide. Prior to chemo, she's given IVs comprised of nausea medications and steroids that “coat” her arteries as a form of resistance to the chemo drugs. Rachel receives IVs of saline before and after chemo as well.

Our mother most recently completed her second round of chemotherapy, roughly 35 days from the first. Her last three-day-round of this remedy kicks off toward the end of April.

                ************In the first few weeks of treatment, she did experience a short lived blood clot (February) in her upper left arm due to the chemo tubing laced within her. She suffers from a preexisting condition called 'Factor V Leiden.' Her body has a tendency to produce abnormal blood clots in response to injury/stress;  which in this case, stress caused by a foreign tube existing in her upper body. However, she's been taking blood thinners regularly since, and that issue has regressed*************

These drugs are so unbelievably potent, they also jeopardize the health of normal, healthy cells. Therefore, our mother's team of doctors handling this course of injections weigh a precise measurement of the drugs in use. In essence, this provides a happy medium between curing the cancer, and reducing the side-effects of chemotherapy itself.

Radiation Therapy: Think of this as an extremely powerful X-Ray blast to areas of one's body compromised by cancer cells. These X-Rays contain highly-energized particles of light – just, not your typical type of light. Radiation therapy is accountable for killing cancer cells. It can either be oriented in a three-dimensional or area-specific space dependent on the severity (or stage) of cancer. This form of therapy is applied separately or in combination with chemotherapy.

Since Rachel's SCLC was tracked down in one lung at an early, limited stage, the radiation therapy is confined to that region. For her sake, the chances of this therapy irritating more healthy cells is significantly reduced. It's performed in harmony with the chemo-based remedies (when chemo is in effect). A high percentage of SCLC patients are unfortunately unable to achieve this combination of therapy in a similar window of time. Ultimately, her team of cancer treatment specialists suggested this routine, in order to maximize the efficiency of eliminating the tumors found in her right lung and nearby lymph nodes. For more information on radiation therapy, and how it relates to Rachel's cause, feel free to check out:

'American Cancer Society "Radiation Therapy for Small Cell Lung Cancer"'

If need be, the doctors orchestrating her therapies will determine their use on other parts of her body (i.e. the brain). Their decision will be based solely on, if and only if, the cancer exists elsewhere. A tumor survey/scan following the end of her current treatment will take place early in May.



Related Costs: Seeking Assistance

There are SO many factors to reckon when trying to estimate the costs of Rachel's SCLC treatment. The types of cancer-related drugs applied, the frequency of hospital visits, auxiliary prescriptions used to counter side-effects, instruments and tools employed, imaging techniques and body-related scans executed, etc. etc. Within our immediate family, we've never experienced anything like this. We can only speculate what the financial obligations of the matter are, through family members and friends that have, or are, experiencing similar events.

The following estimates are referenced from a post published in 2018, titled “Lung Cancer Treatment Cost” on CostHelper.com...an aggregate list of averages collected from several sources, such as The American Cancer Society and The Mayo Clinic:

According to records, limited-stage treatment costs average out roughly to $46,000. This number can extend upward near $120,000+. Insurances considered. Any and all contributions toward Rachel's medical bills are held in high regard.

The Path Ahead

For the sake of Rachel's quality of life, and longevity hereafter, we pray this will be her only cycle of treatment. As of Thursday, April 1st, 2021, our mother has completed two out of three rounds of chemotherapy. There's one more round for her to see through near the end of April. She will continue radiation therapy until the series is concluded. Final results will be disclosed to her by the end of the first week of May, 2021. Her journey thus far has been nothing short of an inspiration. Rachel's doctors constantly give her rest assured. She. Will. Be. Cured.



The Woman

Rachel resides in the rustic town of Springvale, ME, with her husband Matthew.


A North-Central Illinois native, it's where a majority of her relatives live, including her mother Lita, sister Angela, and brother Jonathan.


She has now lived in five different states. She has six children of her own; Antony Michael, Sebastian Raye, Dylon Thomas, Ian Joseph, Elizabeth Rose, and Dante Alexander.


She possesses quite the knack for turning her kitchen into an Italian buffet! Well, maybe to some extent; she does love to cook though! She's fanatical about the weather. If you ever mention a thunderstorm near her, you'll see her face light up in sheer amusement. Did we mention she's defied death? Naturally, she's one of the strongest and resilient of women to be found across the Earth.

As her children, though, we cannot express how much of a positive influence she has been – and persists to be – in our lives.

We're blessed and enhanced as individuals by her endless lessons of morality and principle. We've been to hell and back with each other, fighting through countless moments of adversity that put our will of survival to the test. Our bonds with her were fortified through struggle. Our cognizance of character and integrity built by her unconditional love, and timeless nurture. Our awareness in our capabilities backed by her pure and preserved sense of pride in us.

From 1994 – 2012, our mother's job was raising us. Period. Our homes acted as her  'buildings of business,' and we were her prodigies. She strove to be a presence in our hometown for the sake of her children, often times getting us involved in communal forms of recreation, sports, and clubs. From organizing classroom parties, to holding voluntary positions in a council for the youth football program, to being integral to our old Congregation, and even directly involving herself in actions carried out at the local elementary school...are just a few of the things we appreciate her for in our lifetimes. Not to mention, she bore the courage to relocate us to a multitude of different homes, across five different states.

In other words, she always went all-out, for our sake.


On January 26th, 2006, our family suffered a tragedy unimaginable to most. Our to-be sister, Lilliana, was stillborn. As mentioned earlier, Rachel suffers from Factor V Leiden. On that infamous day, her placenta separated as a result of issues with her blood, and Lilliana died in utero not long before birth. Sure, we lost our baby sister. However, our mother suffered such a considerable deprivation of her own blood, that we almost lost her. To this day, we still don't understand how she survived an immense catastrophe.

Some of you may already know Rachel to be a staple in the Wells, ME community. She's touched the hearts of many. We're also sure many of you reading this may not have yet experienced the pleasure of knowing her. There are a plethora of wonderful attributes she incorporates that make her such a unique individual. A gallery of pictures are listed below showing pieces of Rachel's life.
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A message from Shannon Adam, our mother's closest friend and long-time coworker:

“Over the many years Rachel has been in Maine, she has been an active and friendly face of the community, participating in many Wells sports events while her kids grew in the Wells school district. Thousands of people have also come to recognize Rachel from Feile Restaurant and Pub. Where Rachel, her braids, her cheery disposition, and her friendly “Cheers!” has easily made her the most requested server there during her decade-long tenure. No St. Patrick's Day celebration is complete without Rachel's light up headband, and the dozens of green beads to share with her guests!”


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Because of all these things; these selfless acts of hers that steered her children to follow appropriate growth and development; affecting the lives of thousands of strangers with pleasantries, accruing praise for her charisma and unparalleled hospitality. We are here to spill our hearts out over this fundraiser for her today. As repayment for every aspect of herself she's graced countless lives with. As a quest to find selfless individuals willing to make her SCLC treatment cost-effective.

You always used to say you wanted to write a book about your story later on in life, Mom. Well after you kick cancer's a**, you're going to have one hell of a novel.



Thank you.