Rachel's Fight
Donation protected
When it rains it pours. Such is the year that Rachel and her family have had. Now as she prepares for the fight of her life, this statement rings true more than ever. If you don’t know the Hustler/Thistlethwaite family then it is to your disadvantage. Rachel, her brother Josh and their mother Gail are three of the most generous, kind and just all around good people you could meet. When Gail was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in June last year, the family banded together in love and support of their beloved matriarch. In a heart-wrenching moment this past Easter, Gail was rushed to the ICU just one day before Josh married Hayley, the love of his life. Emotions at the wedding were overwhelming to say the least.
True to form Rachel, an ever present tower of strength in her family, was still able to perform as MC during the night, before rushing back to her mothers side the following morning. Rachel and her husband Jared have two beautiful sons; Kyan age 7 and Elias age 3. She is currently 25 weeks pregnant with a third, a little girl who has become a ray of light for the Hustler family throughout all the sadness and concern. Last week, at age 32, Rachel was diagnosed with bowel cancer. An absolutely horrific diagnosis, made worse due to the life that is currently growing inside her. We are awaiting scans that will provide us with more information pertaining to the severity of the prognosis however at this stage we know that the baby will have to be delivered prematurely so that Rachel can have the cancer removed from her bowels. How prematurely, we don’t yet know.
Rachel’s story:
In October last year, Rachel noticed some light bleeding coming from her bowels. Having experienced something similar years before when she was pregnant with Eli she was not too concerned. When the bleeding persisted for 3 months she was booked in for a colonoscopy, scheduled for 4 weeks later. One week before the appointment, Rachel discovered she was pregnant. She notified the endoscopy clinic and the colonoscopy was cancelled due to potential complications to the pregnancy. She was told that Monash Health may perform one. Rachel, knowing something was not right, went back to her GP and asked for a referral to Monash Health. It took 6 weeks for an appointment. At the appointment the doctor said that she needed some blood tests done and believed it was most likely haemorrhoids. She was to return in another 6 weeks, once her test results were in and only if she was still having symptoms.
Rachel, trusting her intuition did not accept this and within a week had asked for a referral to a private gastroenterologist. She went to the appointment hoping for help but received even less concern. Rachel, at a loss for how now to proceed shared her experience with a friend who informed her that her brother happened to be one of the leading gastroenterologists in Melbourne. Rachel grabbed onto this first piece of luck. He called Rachel the next day and booked her in for a sigmoidoscopy 5 days later. A stool test at this point showed her inflammation levels were mild to medium. Unfortunately, the sigmoidoscopy did not reveal what was growing all the while in her bowels. She was 12 weeks pregnant at this point and was told that she would now have to wait until after her pregnancy for a colonoscopy and that she should just continue having blood tests from time to time.
Rachel’s symptoms continued to become more and more severe as her pregnancy went on. She was constantly reaching out to her doctors, asking questions, always aware of the worst case scenario. She had her obstetrician arrange for more testing. Results came back showing the inflammation was now severe. Finally, last Friday the 5thof July, Rachel had another sigmoidoscopy performed. A large tumour was found that we now know is bowel cancer. The family are still processing this nightmare and are awaiting further information. What we do know is that a baby girl will be born prematurely to a mother that is in for the fight of her life. Jared and Rachel run their own business. This is obviously going to have to take a back seat indefinitely while the family band together in support of Rachel, their little boys and their precious baby girl. We are asking anyone that has the potential to help to please donate to this beautiful family. Please do what you can to help relieve some of the burden that they are going to be facing in the coming months. Please help allow Jared to spend time with his wife and children. If ever there was a family that deserved all our help this is the one. Rachel has lived a life devoted to helping others. She has always put herself last and now we need to put her first.
Thank you so much to anyone that is willing to help. Every donation is appreciated more than you know. Please keep Rachel and her family in your hearts and prayers. We will be keeping you updated along the way.
True to form Rachel, an ever present tower of strength in her family, was still able to perform as MC during the night, before rushing back to her mothers side the following morning. Rachel and her husband Jared have two beautiful sons; Kyan age 7 and Elias age 3. She is currently 25 weeks pregnant with a third, a little girl who has become a ray of light for the Hustler family throughout all the sadness and concern. Last week, at age 32, Rachel was diagnosed with bowel cancer. An absolutely horrific diagnosis, made worse due to the life that is currently growing inside her. We are awaiting scans that will provide us with more information pertaining to the severity of the prognosis however at this stage we know that the baby will have to be delivered prematurely so that Rachel can have the cancer removed from her bowels. How prematurely, we don’t yet know.
Rachel’s story:
In October last year, Rachel noticed some light bleeding coming from her bowels. Having experienced something similar years before when she was pregnant with Eli she was not too concerned. When the bleeding persisted for 3 months she was booked in for a colonoscopy, scheduled for 4 weeks later. One week before the appointment, Rachel discovered she was pregnant. She notified the endoscopy clinic and the colonoscopy was cancelled due to potential complications to the pregnancy. She was told that Monash Health may perform one. Rachel, knowing something was not right, went back to her GP and asked for a referral to Monash Health. It took 6 weeks for an appointment. At the appointment the doctor said that she needed some blood tests done and believed it was most likely haemorrhoids. She was to return in another 6 weeks, once her test results were in and only if she was still having symptoms.
Rachel, trusting her intuition did not accept this and within a week had asked for a referral to a private gastroenterologist. She went to the appointment hoping for help but received even less concern. Rachel, at a loss for how now to proceed shared her experience with a friend who informed her that her brother happened to be one of the leading gastroenterologists in Melbourne. Rachel grabbed onto this first piece of luck. He called Rachel the next day and booked her in for a sigmoidoscopy 5 days later. A stool test at this point showed her inflammation levels were mild to medium. Unfortunately, the sigmoidoscopy did not reveal what was growing all the while in her bowels. She was 12 weeks pregnant at this point and was told that she would now have to wait until after her pregnancy for a colonoscopy and that she should just continue having blood tests from time to time.
Rachel’s symptoms continued to become more and more severe as her pregnancy went on. She was constantly reaching out to her doctors, asking questions, always aware of the worst case scenario. She had her obstetrician arrange for more testing. Results came back showing the inflammation was now severe. Finally, last Friday the 5thof July, Rachel had another sigmoidoscopy performed. A large tumour was found that we now know is bowel cancer. The family are still processing this nightmare and are awaiting further information. What we do know is that a baby girl will be born prematurely to a mother that is in for the fight of her life. Jared and Rachel run their own business. This is obviously going to have to take a back seat indefinitely while the family band together in support of Rachel, their little boys and their precious baby girl. We are asking anyone that has the potential to help to please donate to this beautiful family. Please do what you can to help relieve some of the burden that they are going to be facing in the coming months. Please help allow Jared to spend time with his wife and children. If ever there was a family that deserved all our help this is the one. Rachel has lived a life devoted to helping others. She has always put herself last and now we need to put her first.
Thank you so much to anyone that is willing to help. Every donation is appreciated more than you know. Please keep Rachel and her family in your hearts and prayers. We will be keeping you updated along the way.
Fundraising team: Margaret Macpherson (2)
Margaret Macpherson
Organizer
Balaclava VIC
Rachel Hustler
Beneficiary
Leora Danziger
Team member
