Help Laura Lee Bonde Overcome Breast Cancer Again

Hi everyone,

Thank you again for all the support on this long road — your kindness continues to carry me.

On July 28, I noticed leaking from my left breast incision. I went to the ER in Harlingen, where they diagnosed me with cellulitis and bilateral pleural effusion after a CT scan. I was sent home on oral antibiotics.

By the next day, MD Anderson reviewed photos I sent and immediately switched me to three different antibiotics. We planned to wait until my scheduled post-op on 7/31… but my body had other plans.

That night (7/29), I started experiencing violent chills — deep, whole-body spasms from the waist up. I was pale, disoriented, and freezing with no fever at first. My daughter, Carolyn, came over to call MD Anderson for me, and they told her to get me to the ER. My fever spiked to 103° at the ER. I was diagnosed with sepsis.

On 7/30, after the Harlingen ER had stabilized me, I was rushed by ambulance to MD Anderson in Houston — a brutal 5-hour ride while septic, nauseated, and terrified. Once there, I was stabilized again with IV antibiotics and fluids, but due to OR backlog, I waited in pain, fasting all day for two days, in case surgery could be squeezed in. It didn’t come until August 1st.

The days leading up to surgery were the hardest yet — the pain, nausea, the mental battle. I wanted to crawl out of my body but couldn’t. Everything hurt. I kept puking. I felt so far from okay.

Surgery finally happened on 8/1. They washed my breast cavity with 3 gallons of antibiotics, removed infected tissue, threw out the implant, placed dissolvable antibiotics, and inserted a tissue expander.

I’m now back in Harlingen recovering. So far, so good physically — but I’m on edge emotionally. Every twinge of pain sparks fear that another infection is coming.

I don’t know what this recovery will look like. The tissue expander is just a step — but where it leads isn’t fully clear. What is clear: I still want to have breasts. That part breaks my heart. Choosing to reconstruct again feels risky, but I’m not ready to give up that part of me.

I recently read:

“There will always be suffering. So choose the suffering that brings life.”

This mastectomy may have added years to my life — years I want to live. I want to see my kids grow old, my grandkids thrive. I want to go back to school. I have goals, big ones — and now, maybe, the time to reach them.

Any help given financially will be used for medical and travel expenses. Prayers are greatly appreciated.

Forever grateful, Laura Lee

UPDATE ABOVE

Help Laura Lee Bonde Fight Breast Cancer – Again

We are reaching out on behalf of our dear friend and colleague, Laura Lee Bonde — a dedicated social worker, a selfless advocate, and a truly compassionate soul who has spent her life helping others navigate their most difficult moments.

Now, Laura is facing her own fight — again.

After bravely overcoming breast cancer once before, Laura has recently received the devastating news that the cancer has returned. She is now preparing to undergo a double mastectomy and begin a long road to recovery. As you can imagine, the emotional and physical toll of this diagnosis is immense — and so is the financial burden.

Laura has always been the first to step up when someone is in need. Whether offering support to vulnerable individuals and families through her work, or simply being a kind and steady presence for those around her, she has never hesitated to give. Now, she needs us to show up for her.

Funds raised will go toward covering medical expenses, travel expenses, time away from work, and the many unforeseen costs that come with a serious illness. Every donation, no matter the size, will make a real difference and remind Laura that she is not alone in this fight.

Please consider giving, sharing, and keeping Laura in your thoughts and prayers. Let’s rally around this incredible woman the way she’s rallied for so many others.