The ornaments on the Christmas tree in the Smith family's Durham apartment are precious memories of home. But the family hasn't been living in their Virginia home for over a year. Not since three-year-old Rachel's stem cell transplant.

"We went through two weeks of chemo and the day before Thanksgiving we actually received the transplant," said Rebecca Smith. "Which was nothing more than a little bag of cord blood."

The transplant at Duke Medical Center cured Rachel of a rare form of anemia that kept her body from producing red blood cells. But she's been battling rejection for the past year. That has meant lots of medicine, sometimes as much as 16 hours of IV therapy a day. It's also meant a huge lifestyle change for her parents, who dropped everything to get her the care she needed.

"It's a logistical nightmare, said Lindsey Kearns, Duke Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant Program. "Not only do they have a critically ill child, they're leaving their home, they're leaving their job, they're leaving their community and their support network."

A Family Support Program offers families in the Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant service much-needed support. In the past year, families like the Smiths have received help with rent, travel, and even insurance co-pays totaling more than $100,000.

The program relies on contributions for much of its funding, including the sale of Holiday AFLAC ducks, a donation from the national insurance company. Proceeds from the sale of the ducks across North Carolina help fund Duke's program.

"We were given gas cards to help out with the drives back and forth," said Smith. "They helped cover some of our hotel stays for us, because expenses are great when you're going through something like this."

For Rachel, who can't go outside the family's apartment except to the hospital, the programs are an important chance for fun.

"I like art, bingo, and prizes for bingo," she said. "And music."

The Smiths have been isolated from family and friends to protect Rachel's fragile health. But Rebecca Smith says a recent upturn in Rachel's health is a good sign that the family will celebrate next Christmas at home.

"There are long term effects from the treatment that she had to go through," she said. "But we have our child and she will live a normal life now."

The AFLAC ducks are on sale at local Macy's department stores across the country. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to 35 pediatric cancer hospitals across the country.

Related Links

1. Find out more about Duke's Pediatric Blood & Marrow Transplant Program and volunteer opportunities.