After an abnormal mammogram showing spots in her breast and lymph node, Karen Shuyler Smith has been recently been diagnosed with Stage 2 Breast Cancer. Her type of cancer is aggressive (grade 3 , triple negative , Ki-67 proliferation index of 81-90%), but we are grateful for catching it and starting treatments soon.

This GoFundMe has been put together by her son, Garrett, and her daughter, Melissa. Our mom has done so many things for us over the years, and we hope this fundraiser can help ease the financial stress of her cancer treatments.

Karen will be undergoing chemotherapy treatments for 12 weeks, starting on August 16, 2021. Following chemotherapy, she will undergo surgery to remove the cancerous cells. After recovering from surgery, the doctors will reevaluate if further steps are necessary.

We are hoping to raise $2,500 to help cover the out-of-pocket costs of her treatments. We are immensely grateful for the outpouring of love and support for our mom and our family during these challenges. If you are not able to donate financially, we hope you will reach out to Karen with positive notes, phone calls, and other messages across the next few months, or as you think of her.