In March, I (Rachel) was diagnosed with an aggressive form of thyroid cancer. After being referred to UNC, I am now scheduled for surgery on June 11th to remove my entire thyroid, along with a large mass on the left side of my neck. Four to six weeks after surgery, I will undergo radioactive iodine treatment, which is the standard of care for thyroid cancer.

For those of you who don't know, my Dad had thyroid cancer when I was a baby, and the type of cancer I have is genetic. I also have an unusual genetic mutation that is causing my cancer to react in ways that are not typical for thyroid cancer. We are holding fast to the hope that surgery and radioactive iodine will do their job and end my journey with cancer!

Thankfully, although I have always been very healthy, we maintain a healthshare (similar but different from health insurance) that will cover the vast majority of my treatment costs. We do have a high deductible, but once that is met, we are confident that most medical expenses will be covered.

Both the surgery and radioactive iodine treatment will require me to take time away from work, and the combination of lost income and out-of-pocket medical expenses is why we are asking for financial support. While we are not facing extreme hardship or financial ruin because of my treatment, the possibility of ongoing financial strain and continued loss of income remains a concern for our family. If you feel led to give, we would be incredibly touched. But you can also follow this page for updates as I undergo surgery, recovery and continued treatment. Here's to beating cancer and finding my way back to sharing meals with all of you in the very near future! Much love and so much gratitude for all of your support!

If you would like to help out with meals or grocery delivery, here is the link to our Meal Train https://mealtrain.com/wnn920