‘Thank you isn’t enough,? said 18-year-old Rachel Mason, of Commerce Township.
On Jan. 23, Glitz Salons and LA Cafe & Java coordinated a fund raiser in Rachel’s honor. Donations were $20 with pizza, soda and deserts provided. All proceeds go towards Rachel’s medical bills for cancer treatments.
What started out as a sore shoulder, led to life-changing news for the Mason family. Chest x-rays showed a peach-sized tumor, eight centimeters big, on Rachel’s heart, and a biopsy proved the awful truth’Rachel was stricken with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.
‘When I heard the news my heart fell into my stomach,? said Rachel.
Although Rachel has health insurance, the policy does not cover certain procedures, and until a few days ago she had absolutely no prescription coverage. Because Rachel and her family were experiencing a major strain financially, local businesses stepped up and decided to do what they can. Glitz Salons and LA Cafe & Java set the goal to draw in 200-300 people; and after a short four hours they raised over $9,000.
‘There were so many people at LA Cafe we could barely move,? said Kristi Feyers, Glitz Manager. ‘It was so overwhelming it brought tears to our eyes.?
Kroger Grocery Store heard about the situation and also held a fund-raiser to benefit Rachel. On Jan. 29 and 30, Kroger sold hot dogs, chips, crafts and desserts ? raising $3,500.
Rachel was also blessed when the Walled Lake Central High School band held a charity concert and raised $7,500.
‘I’m speechless,? said Rachel. ‘It’s so nice to see people in the world like there are.?
‘Sometimes it takes a tragedy to show how kind people are and I want to thank everyone from the bottom of my heart.?
The most recent news with Rachel’s health has kept a smile on the entire Mason family: through chemotherapy treatments, Rachel’s tumor is now down to one centimeter.