Lifestyle influencer Nara Smith is opening up about one of the most difficult chapters of her life.

In an emotional Instagram video shared this week, the model and cookbook author revealed that her 2-year-old daughter, Whimsy Lou, was diagnosed with cancer late last year. Smith said she and her husband, model Lucky Blue Smith, chose to keep the diagnosis private while focusing on their daughter's treatment and their family's healing.

"There is no easy way to say this or to talk about any of this," Smith began. She explained that after noticing "something suspicious" on Whimsy, the couple first took their daughter to the emergency room before following up with her pediatrician. It was during that visit that Smith says she knew something was seriously wrong.

"I just remember him going really quiet and calm, and my heart dropped in that moment," she recalled. "I don't know whether it was my gut telling me something or just a mom's intuition, but the first thing that I felt was she has cancer."

Following X-rays, ultrasounds and a biopsy at a children's hospital, doctors confirmed Whimsy had cancer that had already spread. Smith said chemotherapy began immediately. She did not disclose the specific type of cancer or provide details about her daughter's current health, though she thanked the medical professionals who cared for her family "through and out the other end."

The 24-year-old said navigating the diagnosis while raising four young children, including daughter Fawnie, who was born last year, has been overwhelming. Still, she found comfort in connecting with other parents facing similar circumstances.

"Processing this and navigating all of this as a family has been really hard," Smith said. "Some days are a little easier, some days are really hard. All I can do is try my best."

By sharing her family's story now, Smith hopes other parents will trust their instincts if something feels off and know they are not alone. "I hope by sharing this, anyone else who's going through something similar feels seen," she said, adding that she remains deeply grateful to the nurses, doctors and support system who helped her family through an unimaginable journey.