Hi, my name is Carys Welsh. I’m 21 years old, a full-time college senior, and someone trying to take her future into her own hands.

Breast cancer has taken so much from my family. I lost my grandmother, my mother, and I nearly lost my older sister. She was diagnosed with stage 2 breast cancer at just 23 years old.

After her diagnosis, I got tested and learned I carry the BRCA1 gene mutation. This means my chances of developing breast cancer are heartbreakingly high, and I’ve lived with this weight on my shoulders ever since.

But I’ve made the choice to fight back. I’m undergoing a preventive double mastectomy, a life-changing surgery to drastically lower my risk of getting breast cancer. Last year, I had a preparatory breast reduction. Now, I’m preparing for the final and most critical step: the full mastectomy and reconstruction.

I’ll be in recovery for at least six weeks, then heading straight back to school to finish my degree. I’m working two jobs just to stay afloat, but the financial strain of this major surgery is something I can’t face alone.

That’s why I’m reaching out.

If you’re able to donate, no matter how small, it would truly help me afford the surgery that could save my life. And if you can’t give, simply sharing this page means more than you know.

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for supporting me on this journey toward healing, toward hope, and toward a future I can finally look forward to.