Help China-Li Smith and Join #TEAMSMITH
Donation protected
My name is Alexandra Silver and I am asking you to donate to #TeamSmith on behalf of one my best friends, China Smith who is currently fighting for her life.
To know China, is to love her. She is a devoted mom of two (one boy & one girl), a beloved wife, and the best friend you could ask for. China is creative, passionate, free-spirited and loyal - she loves with her whole heart. Living in Las Vegas her life revolved around her family and friends until her story changed a year and a half ago... Like most of us, China had a mole on her body and didn't like it so she went to the doctor to get it removed back in 2019. That decision changed her and her families lives forever. She had it removed and per protocol, the mole was sent to pathology. Never in a million years, did she think anything of it - the results came back melanoma and she underwent a massive surgery to remove the cancer they discovered. And, that started #TeamSmiths fight against this aggressive form of cancer.
Fast Forward to 2020, the melanoma had spread. and China was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma. China is strong and took it on, doing her best to keep life normal for her children even serving as class mom at school as she underwent rigorous treatment. China kept fighting and for a bit, we thought she was winning - in the beginning off the spring of 2020 she was even technically in remission! WOW, way to go China!!! But the thing about melanoma is it doesn't respond like other cancers and is a beast. Literally.
In August of 2020, China found out the cancer had spread again and this time to her brain. Crushing news. Two tumors. Tests showed at least one was inoperable. But #TeamSmith prevailed; hopeful and strong, determined to beat this monster called cancer. Her best course of treatment was Gamma Knife Treatment, so before starting treatment the the four members of the Smith family decided to take a trip over Labor Day Weekend to the beaches of California to get a break from Cancer and the pandemic.
And, this is when the true nightmare began and why I am writing to all of you asking for your generous support for #TeamSmith and my dear friends, China, Christian and their two kids who are dear friends of my own kids. Picture this: driving along the 15S to California from Nevada with the 2 kids in the backseat (7 & 10 years old) all excited about their weekend road-trip when China starts complaining to Christian that she is getting a migraine, a bad one. At this point they are about 40 minutes away from home, nearly to the CA border and Christian tells her he will pull into a gas station and get 'Migraine Excedrin'... that never happened, by the time he pulled over, she was sick, like really sick. They waited nearly a 1/2 hour for the paramedics to arrive and she was rushed back to Vegas to the hospital.
After China was stabilized, Christian found out China had suffered a stroke due to the two brain tumors hemorrhaging. Can you imagine?? One minute driving to the beach, the next being told your wife just had brain tumors start bleeding in her brain and paralysis was most likely going to be a real possibility. And, to top it off no one can even see her. Later that evening, China was transferred to a hospital closer to home, where she was admitted to the Neuro-ICU unit. Alone. All Alone. No one to hold her hand and tell her she is OK, no one to whisper in her ear she was loved and to fight. In the middle of a pandemic, China was all alone in the hospital; her family, not allowed even in the lobby were left to their own imagination and the visuals of what they saw their wife and mommy experience laying on the asphalt of a truck-stop waiting for the ambulance.
Two days later, China underwent emergency brain surgery. The damage was already done, Speech challenges and partial paralysis. there was no alternative. She needed the doctors to go in, get the tumor out and clean up any damage done by the internal bleeding on the brain. China survived the surgery and is now in need of serious care; the neurosurgeon advised Christian the care she will require is now beyond what the family is able to provide at home do to her severe medical needs. She will require round the clock care and will be sent to rehab eventually and the children will then naturally need formal supervision for remote learning etc.
Moving forward, once China is recovered from the surgery,it is hoped that China will undergo speech therapy to help her regain her speech and physical/occupational therapy to gain strength and fingers crossed some movement though the doctors believe the paralysis is permanent. Meanwhile all of this will occur simultaneously as China undergoes Chemo plus Autoimmune therapy to combat the cancer. All of this in a world-wide pandemic. In a pandemic. We are raising money to support #TEAMSMITH with any medical expenses not covered by insurance, to help get tutor/nanny to support the Smith kids with remote learning as school is not in session and ultimately, Christian will need to return to work. There is a long road ahead for China and her family. It wont be easy, but the last thing China or Christian need to worry about is money, dinner, bills or the kids schooling etc.
We realize times are tough for everyone right now, living through this COVID Pandemic is not easy so don't feel bad about not donating if you can't - just share this request if you cannot donate. But, if you can donate please do and share this page. Remember no gift is too small, together we can support China in the fight for her life. China and Christian have never asked for help before, and to be honest, Christian hesitated even now, but they need us. This is our way of showing them how much we love them and how much they mean to us.
This situation would be awful under any circumstances but given the pandemic, the circumstances call for resources unimaginable with education and isolation being in play. On behalf of the Smith Family, thank you for reading this far, thank you in advance for your continued prayers and generous donation to the Smith Family.
Please note: All monies donated will go directly to Christian Smith on behalf of his beautiful wife and their children to support them during these most difficult of times for any medical/education/childcare/counseling etc needs they may have.
Stay and well, and thank you for praying for our China-Li.
Thank you.
Alex
To know China, is to love her. She is a devoted mom of two (one boy & one girl), a beloved wife, and the best friend you could ask for. China is creative, passionate, free-spirited and loyal - she loves with her whole heart. Living in Las Vegas her life revolved around her family and friends until her story changed a year and a half ago... Like most of us, China had a mole on her body and didn't like it so she went to the doctor to get it removed back in 2019. That decision changed her and her families lives forever. She had it removed and per protocol, the mole was sent to pathology. Never in a million years, did she think anything of it - the results came back melanoma and she underwent a massive surgery to remove the cancer they discovered. And, that started #TeamSmiths fight against this aggressive form of cancer.
Fast Forward to 2020, the melanoma had spread. and China was diagnosed with Stage 4 Melanoma. China is strong and took it on, doing her best to keep life normal for her children even serving as class mom at school as she underwent rigorous treatment. China kept fighting and for a bit, we thought she was winning - in the beginning off the spring of 2020 she was even technically in remission! WOW, way to go China!!! But the thing about melanoma is it doesn't respond like other cancers and is a beast. Literally.
In August of 2020, China found out the cancer had spread again and this time to her brain. Crushing news. Two tumors. Tests showed at least one was inoperable. But #TeamSmith prevailed; hopeful and strong, determined to beat this monster called cancer. Her best course of treatment was Gamma Knife Treatment, so before starting treatment the the four members of the Smith family decided to take a trip over Labor Day Weekend to the beaches of California to get a break from Cancer and the pandemic.
And, this is when the true nightmare began and why I am writing to all of you asking for your generous support for #TeamSmith and my dear friends, China, Christian and their two kids who are dear friends of my own kids. Picture this: driving along the 15S to California from Nevada with the 2 kids in the backseat (7 & 10 years old) all excited about their weekend road-trip when China starts complaining to Christian that she is getting a migraine, a bad one. At this point they are about 40 minutes away from home, nearly to the CA border and Christian tells her he will pull into a gas station and get 'Migraine Excedrin'... that never happened, by the time he pulled over, she was sick, like really sick. They waited nearly a 1/2 hour for the paramedics to arrive and she was rushed back to Vegas to the hospital.
After China was stabilized, Christian found out China had suffered a stroke due to the two brain tumors hemorrhaging. Can you imagine?? One minute driving to the beach, the next being told your wife just had brain tumors start bleeding in her brain and paralysis was most likely going to be a real possibility. And, to top it off no one can even see her. Later that evening, China was transferred to a hospital closer to home, where she was admitted to the Neuro-ICU unit. Alone. All Alone. No one to hold her hand and tell her she is OK, no one to whisper in her ear she was loved and to fight. In the middle of a pandemic, China was all alone in the hospital; her family, not allowed even in the lobby were left to their own imagination and the visuals of what they saw their wife and mommy experience laying on the asphalt of a truck-stop waiting for the ambulance.
Two days later, China underwent emergency brain surgery. The damage was already done, Speech challenges and partial paralysis. there was no alternative. She needed the doctors to go in, get the tumor out and clean up any damage done by the internal bleeding on the brain. China survived the surgery and is now in need of serious care; the neurosurgeon advised Christian the care she will require is now beyond what the family is able to provide at home do to her severe medical needs. She will require round the clock care and will be sent to rehab eventually and the children will then naturally need formal supervision for remote learning etc.
Moving forward, once China is recovered from the surgery,it is hoped that China will undergo speech therapy to help her regain her speech and physical/occupational therapy to gain strength and fingers crossed some movement though the doctors believe the paralysis is permanent. Meanwhile all of this will occur simultaneously as China undergoes Chemo plus Autoimmune therapy to combat the cancer. All of this in a world-wide pandemic. In a pandemic. We are raising money to support #TEAMSMITH with any medical expenses not covered by insurance, to help get tutor/nanny to support the Smith kids with remote learning as school is not in session and ultimately, Christian will need to return to work. There is a long road ahead for China and her family. It wont be easy, but the last thing China or Christian need to worry about is money, dinner, bills or the kids schooling etc.
We realize times are tough for everyone right now, living through this COVID Pandemic is not easy so don't feel bad about not donating if you can't - just share this request if you cannot donate. But, if you can donate please do and share this page. Remember no gift is too small, together we can support China in the fight for her life. China and Christian have never asked for help before, and to be honest, Christian hesitated even now, but they need us. This is our way of showing them how much we love them and how much they mean to us.
This situation would be awful under any circumstances but given the pandemic, the circumstances call for resources unimaginable with education and isolation being in play. On behalf of the Smith Family, thank you for reading this far, thank you in advance for your continued prayers and generous donation to the Smith Family.
Please note: All monies donated will go directly to Christian Smith on behalf of his beautiful wife and their children to support them during these most difficult of times for any medical/education/childcare/counseling etc needs they may have.
Stay and well, and thank you for praying for our China-Li.
Thank you.
Alex
Organizer and beneficiary
Alexandra Silver
Organizer
Las Vegas, NV
Christian Smith
Beneficiary
