What is All for Two?
My friend Rachel was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer days before her daughter was born. Sheʼs fighting to beat it with all sheʼs got, but the cost of her medication is causing a whole other kind of stress. All for Two is a campaign to raise funds to help her family keep their focus where it should be—on Rachel getting well.
Rachelʼs Story
When Rachel and her husband found out that they were going to have a third child last year, ʻshockʼ didnʼt quite cover how they felt. After all, the pregnancy should have been medically impossible. But nonetheless, there was a little pulsing blip in an ultrasound that clearly defied the odds. This little baby wanted into the world.
Rachel and her family celebrated the news and prepared their lives to include a new family member—a daughter, their first. Then just weeks before she was due, Rachel discovered a lump. Her doctors assumed it was a blocked milk duct, so they were stunned when the tests revealed that it was carcinoma.
Here is where the miracle of her daughter takes another giant loop. If not for the hormones associated with her pregnancy, Rachel would likely not have discovered the lump until much later—the ʻtoo lateʼ kind of much later. For it turns out that the type of cancer Rachel has is quite rare. And itʼs aggressive. Staying on this earth to be a mother to her brand new baby and to her two young sons means fighting with every resource sheʼs got spiritually, physically and financially.
Rachel falls into a small (20%) percentage of those with breast cancer that carry the HER2 gene. This means that aggressive treatment is needed to prevent the cancer from forming again either in her breast or another area of her body. Sheʼll need 16 weeks of chemo, with a drug she administers to herself in between. This will be followed by radiation.
Why ʻAll for Twoʼ?
I was shocked to learn that in Ontario, each of the shots that Rachel administers to herself cost more than $1000. Her health care insurance covers a portion but Rachel and her family need to come up with the remaining $250. She needs 64 of these shots between now and September 2013.
My reaction when hearing this was that I wanted to help. Her husband is not just her caretaker, but also caretaker to their newborn baby and their two young sons, which is the most important role he can play right now. I wish more than anything that neither of them need to stress about the cost of her care. This wishing got me thinking of ways to help ease the financial burden they are under.
Iʼm a graphic designer by trade, so Iʼve been pondering ways I can somehow use what I know to raise money to help. indigogo revealed itself as the perfect fit of my skills and Rachelʼs needs. I would offer perks I could design, and create a campaign to get the word out.
So after some thought and some time spent designing, here it is: All for Two—two breasts and two women—a mother and her new daughter getting to know each other during an aggressive cancer battle.
How you can help
The math is simple. The shots Rachel needs to win her fight with cancer will cost $16,000 Canadian Dollars. A percentage must also go to indiegogo for hosting the campaign, so our target goal for All for Two is $18,500.
Every donation, even $5, gets us closer to the goal of All for Two—funds to cover the cost of Rachel's medication. The money raised by All for Two will go directly to Rachel and her family. If the ideal goal is not reached, they will still receive any funds collected during the 60 day period.
The perks that are offered will only be produced with funding, so there will be no waste. All designs I will produce myself, donated to the campaign at no charge. Depending on your donation level, the ʻAll for Twoʼ brand swag you could receive could include:
- stickers
- 'blank inside' greeting cards
- mugs
- tote-bags
Each will carry the All for Two brand, with a few custom designs incorporated where applicable relating to the campaign. These keepsakes are to thank you for your support and to remind you of the amazing impact you've made with your generosity.
If you can't donate, no problem. You can still help by spreading the word, sharing this campaign on Facebook, Twitter, by email or pinning on Pinterest.
Thank you so much for being a part of the "All" in All for Two.
![Rachel, her two boys and new baby Marin Rachel and her children]()
(Above: Rachel, her two boys and baby Marin)
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