- A
Hello Everyone,
Our Rachel
My name is Dorian Smith and I want to tell you about the beautiful lady in the picture. This is Rachel Smith, my sister-in-law (my husband Mark's little sister). The cuteness next to Rachel is our 9 year old niece Chloe, Rachel's daughter. 
Why am I reaching out to you?
Rachel recently received what most would consider a terrifying medical diagnosis. In the midst of preparing to fight an extraordinary health battle, she is faced with the fear of being unable to financially support herself and sweet Chloe. Rachel is a hairstylist (a fantastic one) and therefore has no disability insurance and not the best health insurance (she pays for health insurance herself and it is very expensive).
Once she is too sick to work, how will she pay for her mortgage, utilities, cost of food, health insurance and other necessities. I am not even factoring in medical bills (you might have a heart attack if I told you those numbers).
I am humbly, and on behalf of our entire family, asking for your support and for you to kindly share this link with your friends, family and extended networks. #RiseUpWithRachelSmith (don't forget to include this hastag as well)
(Smith/Duncan Beach Trip-2017)
How easy?
It is so easy to share! It only takes a quick click of the mouse. Adding a kind comment when you share the link would help those who don't know Rachel feel inclined to read her story (and hopefully inspired to give). I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your love and donations are priceless and will NEVER be forgotten. 
My goal
My goal is to raise enough money to replace a year of Rachel's income. I realize this is a lofty goal, but I can't think small if I want to relieve her financial burden so that her only job is to fight this disease. I am not sure what to expect, so I am going to set the initial goal at $20,000 and increase it gradually until the goal is met. Please be part of her Journey. Please join her in this fight against this horrible disease and RISE UP WITH RACHEL SMITH!!!
Rise up: (definition)-To take up arms, rise in rebellion. #RiseUpWithRachelSmith

What happened?
Almost 6 weeks ago, Rachel found out she had a life-threatening illness. I honestly can't imagine what that must have felt like to hear those words-you have cancer. What 36 year old thinks they will ever hear a doctor say those words to them?
How did she take the news?
If I was just told I had cancer, that would pretty much be a wrap on my day. Ha!!! Not for Rachel. Only hours after learning of this diagnosis, Rachel put on her best poker face and took Chloe to the NC state fair just as she had promised. That is what you do when you are a rock-star mom, you instinctively, endlessly and without an ounce of hesitation or regret, sacrifice yourself for your child's happiness. On that particular day, it was clear to Rachel that her first battle was going to be finding the right way to tell Chloe. She figured it out (as any rock-star mom would) and now Chloe is of course her biggest, bravest (cutest, duh) 9-year old cancer warrior.
(NC State Fair-2018: Rachel, Chloe, Kirin, Denise)
How did she find out?
Rachel felt a lump on her right breast during a self-exam (check those boobies) and subsequently had a mammogram that showed 3 masses and a "suspicious" lymph node. Rachel then had a surgical biopsy which revealed that she had invasive ductal carcinoma with a positive lymph node. That is medical talk for "Breast Cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes".
What happened next?
Rachel carefully selected her medical and surgical team. First, they ran multiple tests (such as MRI, bone scan, CT scan) to check her whole body to see if there were any "distant metastases" or rather, did the cancer spread anywhere else in the body besides the lymph nodes? Her team of physicians then put together a solid treatment plan and things got really real, really fast !!!! 
(Rachel, Steve and Denise at Tanas salon after getting their shave on)
Spoiler Alert.... Rachel's testing did not show metastases to any other parts of her body. Winning!!!!! Even better, her cancer is ER/PR positive and HER2 negative. This is THE BEST possible scenario. The cherry on top is that genetic testing did not show the genetic mutations associated with increased risk of breast cancer which is an important factor when deciding on the type of surgery.
Whats the plan?
Rachel will need aggressive chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and hormone suppression therapy.
Rachel had a port-a-cath placed in her left chest wall 2 weeks ago to receive the chemotherapy. Here comes the the specifics of the treatment plan... 
(Rachel at first chemo treatment)
Chemotherapy:
She will receive an intense combination of chemotherapy drugs. For the first 8 weeks Rachel will receive an intravenous (IV) infusion of cyclophosphamide and adriamycin every 2 weeks. The next 8-12 weeks, Rachel will get a weekly infusion of paclitaxel. These are all chemotherapy medications.
Bone Marrow Stimulant= Neulasta: This drug is injected into the skin on her stomach and delivers a medication that stimulates the production of white blood cells (WBCs). White blood cells are the building blocks of the immune system and fight infection and disease. Chemotherapy will significantly decrease the number of WBCs, making it difficult for her body to combat germs (bacteria, viruses) which is especially important heading into cold/flu season and having a child in elementary school. WBCs are made in the bone marrow and Neulasta tells the bone marrow to produce more WBCs.
Hormone Suppression:
Rachel's type of cancer likes to use her bodies naturally occurring hormones to grow and travel, so she will have to take a drug called Lupron, to lower her hormone levels. Lupron is injected into the muscle once a month.
Wait, there is more.....
Once chemo is completed, a CT or MRI will tell us how Rachel responded to the chemotherapy, hopefully lots of shrinkage, AND THEN ...(continue reading) 
Surgery:
After chemotherapy is completed, Rachel will have up to a month to rest and then will need a mastectomy and removal of one or multiple lymph nodes under her right arm (that dominant arm she uses to style peoples hair in the salon everyday). We are not yet sure if she will have a single or double Mastectomy. Rachel will also have reconstructive surgery done by a plastic surgeon.
Radiation:
After surgery, Rachel will receive radiation to the lymph nodes under her right arm 5 times a week for 5 consecutive weeks.
More Hormone Suppression:
For up to 5 years Rachel will need to take medication to suppress her hormones and prevent recurrence of the cancer. Usually a drug called Tamoxifen is used.
Treatment begins:
On Friday November 9th, with her mom Denise Duncan by her side, Rachel received her first chemotherapy treatment. Prior to the chemo treatment, blood work showed her iron level was critically low, so she received an infusion of iron as well. Mark Smith (my husband, Rachel's brother) and I showed up about half way through. We brought some popsicles and had a little Popsicle party (because chemo causes dry mouth and sometimes a yucky taste in your mouth). Rachel's amazingly supportive friend Steve was also present to lend his support and provide some needed distraction.
(Mark partaking in some popsicle deliciousness during chemo)
Solidarity:
In the spirit of solidarity, Denise dyed her hair pink, Chloe followed suit, I chickened out and donned a pink wig and Chris (Rachel's other big brother) captured the essence of his new found awareness in a painting (a Chris Smith original).
(Denise Duncan-Rachel's Mom, also partaking in popsicle deliciousness)
(Chloe going PINK for her Mama)
(Me going PINK for Rachel in my own "special" way: I wonder what was so funny?)
(Chris showed solidarity through Art)
Solidarity continues:
Denise, Rachel and Steve shaved their heads once hair loss from chemo was imminent. Tim and Mark followed suit a couple of days later. Believe it or not, Tim had a long pony tail prior to the shave which will be donated to Locks of Love.
(Mark, Tim, Rachel and Denise on the Saturday after Thanksgiving).
Which finally leads me to...
Her family support system: Rachel is the youngest of 3 siblings. She has 2 older brothers (Mark and Chris Smith) and one stepbrother (Dan Duncan). Denise Duncan is her Mom and Tim Duncan is her step-dad. Adele Harrod, aka Granny Buttonz, is her grandmother. Dorian Smith (me) and Tasia Ryan are her sister-in-laws. Rachel is an amazing aunt to 2 nieces (Gabi and Savannah-our girls), one nephew (Kirin-Chris and Tasia's son) and she has many aunts, uncles and cousins (too many to name, but no less important). 
(Smith/Duncan Beach Trip 2018)
Why YOU are so important?
Our family will do everything we can to help Rachel with expenses, but that just won't scratch the surface of what she is getting ready to face financially. We are looking to all of you to contribute anything you can to help Rachel be victorious over this battle with breast cancer!!! No amount is too small. As I said before, every gift is priceless, even if it is a simple prayer for healing.
I am sure everyone would agree that fighting cancer is one of the hardest challenges one could face in their lifetime. There is no room for worry, fear or panic over money or lack thereof. That energy Has to be devoted to fighting like hell to destroy cancer!!!
Please also send prayers and positive thoughts her way. We believe in the power of prayer and that we are better fighting together. Please give whatever you can comfortably give and Rise Up With Rachel Smith!!!!
#RiseUpWithRachelSmith 
I will continue to provide updates and let you know how Rachel is doing. As much as she would love to respond to all texts and calls, it simply will not be possible with the way chemo makes her feel. Please post your well wishes to this site so that she can easily see them when she feels well enough. Thank you for understanding.
Please please please share Rachel's story with all your social media networks with the easy to share social media buttons on this page. You can also copy and paste the url to your social media feeds or send via email or text to friends and family. #RiseUpWithRachelSmith
We thank YOU, with all our hearts, for your kindness and generosity.
Love,
Rachel's Family 
Our Rachel
My name is Dorian Smith and I want to tell you about the beautiful lady in the picture. This is Rachel Smith, my sister-in-law (my husband Mark's little sister). The cuteness next to Rachel is our 9 year old niece Chloe, Rachel's daughter. 
Why am I reaching out to you?
Rachel recently received what most would consider a terrifying medical diagnosis. In the midst of preparing to fight an extraordinary health battle, she is faced with the fear of being unable to financially support herself and sweet Chloe. Rachel is a hairstylist (a fantastic one) and therefore has no disability insurance and not the best health insurance (she pays for health insurance herself and it is very expensive).
Once she is too sick to work, how will she pay for her mortgage, utilities, cost of food, health insurance and other necessities. I am not even factoring in medical bills (you might have a heart attack if I told you those numbers).
I am humbly, and on behalf of our entire family, asking for your support and for you to kindly share this link with your friends, family and extended networks. #RiseUpWithRachelSmith (don't forget to include this hastag as well)
(Smith/Duncan Beach Trip-2017) How easy?
It is so easy to share! It only takes a quick click of the mouse. Adding a kind comment when you share the link would help those who don't know Rachel feel inclined to read her story (and hopefully inspired to give). I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your love and donations are priceless and will NEVER be forgotten. 
My goal
My goal is to raise enough money to replace a year of Rachel's income. I realize this is a lofty goal, but I can't think small if I want to relieve her financial burden so that her only job is to fight this disease. I am not sure what to expect, so I am going to set the initial goal at $20,000 and increase it gradually until the goal is met. Please be part of her Journey. Please join her in this fight against this horrible disease and RISE UP WITH RACHEL SMITH!!!
Rise up: (definition)-To take up arms, rise in rebellion. #RiseUpWithRachelSmith

What happened?
Almost 6 weeks ago, Rachel found out she had a life-threatening illness. I honestly can't imagine what that must have felt like to hear those words-you have cancer. What 36 year old thinks they will ever hear a doctor say those words to them?
How did she take the news?
If I was just told I had cancer, that would pretty much be a wrap on my day. Ha!!! Not for Rachel. Only hours after learning of this diagnosis, Rachel put on her best poker face and took Chloe to the NC state fair just as she had promised. That is what you do when you are a rock-star mom, you instinctively, endlessly and without an ounce of hesitation or regret, sacrifice yourself for your child's happiness. On that particular day, it was clear to Rachel that her first battle was going to be finding the right way to tell Chloe. She figured it out (as any rock-star mom would) and now Chloe is of course her biggest, bravest (cutest, duh) 9-year old cancer warrior.
(NC State Fair-2018: Rachel, Chloe, Kirin, Denise)How did she find out?
Rachel felt a lump on her right breast during a self-exam (check those boobies) and subsequently had a mammogram that showed 3 masses and a "suspicious" lymph node. Rachel then had a surgical biopsy which revealed that she had invasive ductal carcinoma with a positive lymph node. That is medical talk for "Breast Cancer that has spread to the lymph nodes".
What happened next?
Rachel carefully selected her medical and surgical team. First, they ran multiple tests (such as MRI, bone scan, CT scan) to check her whole body to see if there were any "distant metastases" or rather, did the cancer spread anywhere else in the body besides the lymph nodes? Her team of physicians then put together a solid treatment plan and things got really real, really fast !!!! 
(Rachel, Steve and Denise at Tanas salon after getting their shave on) Spoiler Alert.... Rachel's testing did not show metastases to any other parts of her body. Winning!!!!! Even better, her cancer is ER/PR positive and HER2 negative. This is THE BEST possible scenario. The cherry on top is that genetic testing did not show the genetic mutations associated with increased risk of breast cancer which is an important factor when deciding on the type of surgery.
Whats the plan?
Rachel will need aggressive chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and hormone suppression therapy.
Rachel had a port-a-cath placed in her left chest wall 2 weeks ago to receive the chemotherapy. Here comes the the specifics of the treatment plan... 
(Rachel at first chemo treatment) Chemotherapy:
She will receive an intense combination of chemotherapy drugs. For the first 8 weeks Rachel will receive an intravenous (IV) infusion of cyclophosphamide and adriamycin every 2 weeks. The next 8-12 weeks, Rachel will get a weekly infusion of paclitaxel. These are all chemotherapy medications.
Bone Marrow Stimulant= Neulasta: This drug is injected into the skin on her stomach and delivers a medication that stimulates the production of white blood cells (WBCs). White blood cells are the building blocks of the immune system and fight infection and disease. Chemotherapy will significantly decrease the number of WBCs, making it difficult for her body to combat germs (bacteria, viruses) which is especially important heading into cold/flu season and having a child in elementary school. WBCs are made in the bone marrow and Neulasta tells the bone marrow to produce more WBCs.
Hormone Suppression:
Rachel's type of cancer likes to use her bodies naturally occurring hormones to grow and travel, so she will have to take a drug called Lupron, to lower her hormone levels. Lupron is injected into the muscle once a month.
Wait, there is more.....
Once chemo is completed, a CT or MRI will tell us how Rachel responded to the chemotherapy, hopefully lots of shrinkage, AND THEN ...(continue reading) 
Surgery:
After chemotherapy is completed, Rachel will have up to a month to rest and then will need a mastectomy and removal of one or multiple lymph nodes under her right arm (that dominant arm she uses to style peoples hair in the salon everyday). We are not yet sure if she will have a single or double Mastectomy. Rachel will also have reconstructive surgery done by a plastic surgeon.
Radiation:
After surgery, Rachel will receive radiation to the lymph nodes under her right arm 5 times a week for 5 consecutive weeks.
More Hormone Suppression:
For up to 5 years Rachel will need to take medication to suppress her hormones and prevent recurrence of the cancer. Usually a drug called Tamoxifen is used.
Treatment begins:
On Friday November 9th, with her mom Denise Duncan by her side, Rachel received her first chemotherapy treatment. Prior to the chemo treatment, blood work showed her iron level was critically low, so she received an infusion of iron as well. Mark Smith (my husband, Rachel's brother) and I showed up about half way through. We brought some popsicles and had a little Popsicle party (because chemo causes dry mouth and sometimes a yucky taste in your mouth). Rachel's amazingly supportive friend Steve was also present to lend his support and provide some needed distraction.
(Mark partaking in some popsicle deliciousness during chemo) Solidarity:
In the spirit of solidarity, Denise dyed her hair pink, Chloe followed suit, I chickened out and donned a pink wig and Chris (Rachel's other big brother) captured the essence of his new found awareness in a painting (a Chris Smith original).
(Denise Duncan-Rachel's Mom, also partaking in popsicle deliciousness)(Chloe going PINK for her Mama)(Me going PINK for Rachel in my own "special" way: I wonder what was so funny?) (Chris showed solidarity through Art)Solidarity continues:
Denise, Rachel and Steve shaved their heads once hair loss from chemo was imminent. Tim and Mark followed suit a couple of days later. Believe it or not, Tim had a long pony tail prior to the shave which will be donated to Locks of Love.
(Mark, Tim, Rachel and Denise on the Saturday after Thanksgiving). Which finally leads me to...
Her family support system: Rachel is the youngest of 3 siblings. She has 2 older brothers (Mark and Chris Smith) and one stepbrother (Dan Duncan). Denise Duncan is her Mom and Tim Duncan is her step-dad. Adele Harrod, aka Granny Buttonz, is her grandmother. Dorian Smith (me) and Tasia Ryan are her sister-in-laws. Rachel is an amazing aunt to 2 nieces (Gabi and Savannah-our girls), one nephew (Kirin-Chris and Tasia's son) and she has many aunts, uncles and cousins (too many to name, but no less important). 
(Smith/Duncan Beach Trip 2018)Why YOU are so important?
Our family will do everything we can to help Rachel with expenses, but that just won't scratch the surface of what she is getting ready to face financially. We are looking to all of you to contribute anything you can to help Rachel be victorious over this battle with breast cancer!!! No amount is too small. As I said before, every gift is priceless, even if it is a simple prayer for healing.
I am sure everyone would agree that fighting cancer is one of the hardest challenges one could face in their lifetime. There is no room for worry, fear or panic over money or lack thereof. That energy Has to be devoted to fighting like hell to destroy cancer!!!
Please also send prayers and positive thoughts her way. We believe in the power of prayer and that we are better fighting together. Please give whatever you can comfortably give and Rise Up With Rachel Smith!!!!
#RiseUpWithRachelSmith 
I will continue to provide updates and let you know how Rachel is doing. As much as she would love to respond to all texts and calls, it simply will not be possible with the way chemo makes her feel. Please post your well wishes to this site so that she can easily see them when she feels well enough. Thank you for understanding.
Please please please share Rachel's story with all your social media networks with the easy to share social media buttons on this page. You can also copy and paste the url to your social media feeds or send via email or text to friends and family. #RiseUpWithRachelSmith
We thank YOU, with all our hearts, for your kindness and generosity.
Love,
Rachel's Family