Alicia's Journey: From Diagnosis to Healing

My name is Alicia Runnels. I am 36 years old and a mom to 4 children. In November of 2024, after a biopsy & scans, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma (breast cancer stage 2). A tumor was identified and on January 30th, I had a double mastectomy with reconstruction. A couple of days later, they told me the cancer had spread outside of the tumor and on February 6th, I had another surgery to clear the cancer from the tissue and skin. The surgery was successful. But because of the size of the tumor and that it spread, I am now expecting to undergo chemotherapy for the next 4-5 months. My boyfriend Neil and I are raising our 4 beautiful children but only on one income. We have had to take several trips back and forth to Sioux Falls for surgeries and appointments which has resulted in Neil missing work. The winter has caused our bills to be higher and we do not qualify for food assistance. Anything that is donated will go towards paying bills and providing stability for our children during the next few months. We appreciate all the love, prayers and support.