Hi I’m Emberle, a friend of Lauren Conner. Lauren is unfortunately experiencing a recurrence of breast cancer in the same breast as well as the axillary lymph node on the same side. We are hoping to raise funds to allow her to fully recover and limit the load on her husband and family. Thank you for your prayers and generosity.

Read more from Lauren:

I will be having surgery at UPenn to remove the tumor and all lymph nodes in my left underarm (axillary lymph node dissection). This is a more involved surgery than a biopsy or partial removal, so my recovery will take some time.

After surgery, I won’t be able to drive right away. It’s important that I give my body the chance to fully heal, protect my arm and shoulder, and avoid any activity that could cause swelling or delay recovery. Most people need a few weeks before they can safely return to driving or regular activities, and I will follow my surgeon’s clearance on when it’s safe to do so.

Because all lymph nodes will be removed, I will have a higher lifetime risk of lymphedema (swelling in the arm), so I need to be careful not to push my limits. My care team will give me gentle exercises to keep my range of motion without overstraining.

Once my surgical site has healed—typically about 3–4 weeks—I will begin chemotherapy for 12-16 weeks followed by daily radiation treatments for another 3–4 weeks.