The Kelowna Ward is behind a young family whose lives were turned upside down earlier this year.
Rayane Crossbow is a 28-year-old nurse who works at Kelowna General Hospital, as is her husband Taylor, an X-ray technologist.
The young couple have been together since they met in college in 2010 and got married in August 2016, but the most exciting news came in August 2019.
At that point, Rayane and Taylor announced that their family was growing by one, and in February 2020 they welcomed their first son, Bowen.
Everything seemed perfect for Rayane, Taylor and Bowen, and they received more exciting news last May; her family of three would grow again and Bowen would become an older brother.
Unfortunately, on their first ultrasound and first look at child number two, they were told there was no baby and instead were overwhelmed by terrible news.
Rayane had a rare molar pregnancy in which tissue that usually becomes a fetus becomes an abnormal growth that causes pregnancy symptoms.
The devastating news turned into days of strangers waiting for test results, regular blood tests, and surgery.
At first everything seemed to be going according to plan and Rayane’s HCG levels began to drop, but then they were thrown another curveball.
Weekly blood tests noticed that their HCG levels began to rise again and when a second operation didn’t solve the problem, they got the news they feared.
Rayane was diagnosed with trophoblastic neoplasia in pregnancy when she was only 28 years old.
Rayane began chemotherapy with oncologists in Kelowna and Vancouver when Taylor tried to balance Bowen’s care with housekeeping, a full-time job, and his wife’s support.
There was much hope, but this month they received another blow when they learned that single-agent chemotherapy, so promising, was unsuccessful.
Now Rayane has more time in the hospital as she begins double chemotherapy to fight the spreading cancer and lower her HCG levels.
That’s why Rayane’s good friend Lauren Desrochers started a GoFundMe campaign to support Rayane, Taylor and Bowen while they are in the battle of their lives.
Since its inception on Wednesday night, around $ 3,000 has been raised to help the family with general expenses, while Rayane focuses on their healing and Taylor on everything else.
“Rayane and Taylor were always the ones to lend a hand,” wrote Desrochers.
“Whether hard at work caring for the sickest and often smallest patients (as a nurse in the intensive care unit) in a tertiary care center or getting very personal as they openly share their struggles so others don’t feel so alone, they can often get in Peace can be found in the service of our community. “
Desrochers asked Rayane’s colleagues at KGH to describe them in one word and those who showed up were thoughtful, adventurous, caring, smart, charitable, caring, and sincere.
“Rayane is the human form of sunshine,” said a colleague.
“As soon as you see her, you immediately feel better; you feel their warmth. It illuminates a room with its liveliness and acceptance. ”
Descrochers ended the GoFundMe campaign report by saying that Taylor and Rayane are just really good people and deserve so much love and support.
If you want to show them this love and support by making a donation for the fundraiser, click this link.
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