Rachel Marie's

I haven't done an update on Amelie in a while because, to be honest, things have been tough, and I've been struggling massively this past week with the reality of what she's facing. 😭

We desperately needed her MRI done last week before her orthopaedic and oncology follow-up appointments, which were supposed to be this week. The scan was meant to tell us whether her tumour has progressed, and after hearing her oncologist express concerns about her spinal cord and nerves, I have been absolutely terrified.

Unfortunately, Amelie was so distressed that she wouldn't allow them to place the cannula needed for the contrast MRI. We spent the entire day fasting her, trying to prepare her, watching her become completely hysterical and overwhelmed, only to be told that the scan couldn't go ahead and we had to leave.

Knowing how serious her condition is, while also seeing how deeply all of this is affecting her mental health, is breaking me. She just wants to be a kid. She wants to run, play, climb, and go back to the life she was living before all of this happened. She doesn't want to spend her weeks terrified of more tests, more scans, and more hospital appointments.

Watching your child suffer is something I can't even put into words. It is absolutely soul-destroying.

I'm scared for her every single day. I'm scared about what tomorrow looks like, and I'm scared for her future. Lately, I have felt completely overwhelmed, heartbroken, and devastated for her.

But no matter how hard this gets, I will never stop hoping, never stop fighting for her, and never stop praying that one day this will all be behind her and she can simply be the happy, carefree little girl she deserves to be. 😭💔

Before & After 😍✨

🤍 200g Nano Rings 🤍 22 Inches 🤍 3 Custom-Blended Colours

The before and after says it all 🔥

We are finally getting around to celebrating Amelie's 8th birthday between all her hospital appointments ❤️

Her birthday was back in March, right in the middle of when she was at her sickest and spending so much time in hospital. At the time, celebrating was put on hold on as we tried to navigate a world that had suddenly been turned completely upside down.

It feels so special to finally give her the birthday celebration we had planned before everything changed. Seeing her smile and enjoy being a kid again is something I don't think I'll ever take for granted.

I know from the outside it may seem like Amelie is doing so much better, and thankfully her pain is much more manageable than it was. But the reality is we still don't know exactly what is happening with her disease. At this stage, it's very possible that the improvement we're seeing is largely due to the medication helping control her symptoms.

Her recent X-rays haven't shown a great deal of improvement in the bone itself, and now we're anxiously waiting for her MRI this Friday. This scan will give us a much clearer picture of whether her tumour is shrinking or whether we need to start having serious discussions about moving forward with chemotherapy.

One of the hardest parts right now isn't even the waiting—it's watching the fear this is causing her. Amelie has severe medical anxiety, and the thought of having a cannula inserted for her MRI contrast has caused her so much distress. The oncology team at PCH have been absolutely incredible, working with us to come up with a plan to make the experience as manageable as possible for her.

As a parent, there is a kind of heartbreak that comes with knowing you have to ask your child to do something they are genuinely terrified of, while also knowing it's necessary. It's impossible to put that feeling into words. 💔

If you pray, please keep Amelie in your prayers this week. We are desperately hoping for positive MRI results and signs that her tumour is responding. We would be so grateful for every prayer, positive thought, and bit of hope sent her way. 😭🙏💜

✨ SHORT TO LONG MAGIC ✨

What a transformation! 😍

Using 200 pieces of 22-inch Nano Ring extensions, we took this gorgeous blonde babe from short and fine to long, full, and absolutely stunning. 🤍

Hair extensions aren't just about adding length—they're about creating confidence, volume, and helping you feel like the best version of yourself. And this result is exactly why I love what I do. 🙌

The blend, the length, the fullness... I am completely obsessed with this finished look! ✨

Thinking about transforming your hair? Send me a message to chat about the best extension method for you. 💌

✨ Let's Talk About Thinning Hair ✨

Hair loss and thinning hair can have such a huge impact on how we feel about ourselves, and it's something so many men and women experience.

During this incredibly stressful and frightening time with Amelie, I've found myself losing a significant amount of hair. The stress has taken a real toll, and my hair has become so thin that you can literally see straight through it. 😭

As someone who helps others feel confident every day, it's been a confronting experience to suddenly feel so self-conscious about my own hair.

One thing I always tell my clients is that hair extensions are not a cure for hair loss. They won't stop the shedding or fix the underlying cause. It's so important to work with your healthcare professionals to identify and manage what's causing the hair loss in the first place.

What extensions can do is give you back your confidence while you're navigating that journey.

They can help restore fullness, create volume where it's been lost, and allow you to feel like yourself again while you focus on getting to the root cause of the issue.

Watch this space because I'll be sharing my own hair transformation over the coming months, and I know some of you are going to be shocked by just how much hair I've lost and how much of a difference extensions can make. 😆✨

Because every woman deserves to feel beautiful and confident, no matter what season of life she's walking through. 💗

I always knew Amelie was one in a million, but she just had to prove it, didn't she? 💜

Langerhans Cell Histiocytosis (LCH) is an incredibly rare disease that affects only 2–5 children per million each year.

LCH occurs when abnormal Langerhans cells build up in different parts of the body, causing damage to tissues and bones. While it can affect many organs, in Amelie's case it was found in her cervical spine (neck), specifically in her C4 vertebra.

What started as neck pain quickly became a whirlwind of scans, specialist appointments, surgery, hospital stays and more uncertainty than any family ever expects to face.

One of the hardest parts of LCH is that no two cases are exactly the same. Some children require minimal treatment, while others face surgery, chemotherapy or ongoing monitoring for years. Because it is so rare, many people have never even heard of it before their child is diagnosed. Even her nurses at PCH had never even heard of it before 🤯

Despite everything she has been through, Amelie continues to amaze us every single day. Her strength, resilience, courage and ability to keep smiling through the toughest moments leave us in awe.

LCH may be rare, but so is Amelie. 💜

Thank you to everyone who has followed her journey, checked in on us, prayed for her and supported our family through the hardest chapter of our lives. We are endlessly grateful.

Just a little life + work update from me 🤍

Firstly, thank you all so much for your patience, understanding and support over the last few weeks while we’ve been navigating everything with Amelie.

Amelie is currently doing amazing with her pain levels and things are finally seeming like they’re heading in the right direction. While we still won’t fully know how successful everything has been or if she will need further surgeries until her MRI in a few weeks, it has been so reassuring seeing her feeling more like herself again and finally getting some comfort back.

Now that things are feeling a little less chaotic, I’m desperately trying to get myself back into the swing of work again and I’ll now have weekday + weekend appointments available 🤍

If you’re needing makeup, hairstyling, hair extensions please don’t hesitate to reach out or book directly through my booking system!

For the time being I’ll still be working from Greenfields and won’t be mobile, however I will have both morning and evening availability.

I truly appreciate every single person who has continued to support my business during such a difficult season for our family. It honestly means more than you know 🤍

✨ HAIR EXTENSION BABES ✨

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Whether you're wanting extra length, thickness or that little bit of magic to help you feel like you again, I’d absolutely love to help create your dream hair.

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