Rally around RaRa - 33-year-old teacher with stage 3 breast cancer

Robyn Croom — or “RaRa” as she is affectionately known by all of the kids in her life — received a diagnosis of stage III breast cancer in October 2022.

If you know Robyn, you know she has a gift for making people laugh; she’s the friend everyone is proud to introduce you to at a party or on a trip. She’s got the soul and outspoken personality of an Irish woman, with the determination and loyalty of a Southerner. She’s a quick-witted storyteller who can captivate and hold court in any room (or tailgate). She says the most unexpected things with wittiness and at times, pure absurdity that only she can pull off. She’s magnetic.

Robyn was 25 when she learned about the devastation of cancer; she lost her mom (her only living parent) in 2015 to ovarian cancer. Even though Robyn’s parents are no longer with us, she is not fighting cancer alone. She’s become a part of several families and has taken the role of “Aunt RaRa” to many of her friends’ children. She loves them as her own and they love her right back.

Her cancer is estrogen receptor (ER) positive, progesterone receptor (PR) positive, Her2 negative, invasive ductal carcinoma with lobular features. This hormone-fed cancer cruelly capitalizes on her young age of 33 to grow faster in her body.

After her diagnosis, she promptly began an aggressive treatment plan close to home at West Cancer Center in Memphis. As a fourth grade literacy teacher in Marion, Arkansas, she didn’t want to miss out on days with her students and balanced her treatments and recovery with days in the classroom surrounded by her students and an army of incredibly supportive teacher friends.

After completing her first three rounds of chemotherapy in Memphis, she landed an appointment with world-renowned experts at MD Anderson Cancer Center. Once there, oncologists uncovered growth in at least five lymph nodes and recommended a more aggressive chemo plan along with a cutting-edge surgical procedure that is not available in the Memphis area.

We want Robyn to have access to every available option for complete healing during this time-critical phase. To do that, she’ll need to temporarily relocate to Houston for more advanced, targeted therapies. Her stubborn Irish nature means she’ll never ask for help, but in her case, generosity can move mountains.

Funds raised here will go towards Robyn’s complete healing:

Medical expenses, radiation, and surgery at nationally-ranked MD Anderson in Houston, Texas

Access to groundbreaking research and innovative treatments not covered by insurance

Travel expenses to Texas

Living expenses, as she will need to take time off from teaching on her path to healing, not only to allow for treatment recovery but also to protect her immune system.

Make way, our unstoppable RaRa is heading towards a comeback. But she needs to lean on us for a bit to get her there. Let’s overwhelm her with love and support.

With love, friends of Robyn Croom who call her sister, daughter, and niece.