My name is Karla, and I am a breast cancer survivor.

I was diagnosed with breast cancer 12/2021. After my diagnosis, during 2022 I had chemo (Feb), total hysterectomy (May), first breast reconstructive surgery (May), double mastectomy (July), radiation (Sept). I was hospitalized again and treated for a blood clot in January 2023. After my first reconstructive surgery, I had to have several reconstructive surgeries due to complications. The 2nd surgery was on 10/2023, 3rd was on 12/2023, 4th was on 07/2024, 5th was on 11/2024, 6th on 12/2024. After many surgeries and being diagnosed with Breast Implant Illness, I had to remove my implants on 04/01/2025. The result of the overall removal is something that I was not truly prepared for. I thought I understood it and was supposed to push myself to be strong, and the truth is that this procedure broke me in more ways than one. I am still working through it and want to and need to get better all around.

With that being said, I am now a candidate for an S-Gap surgery. This is my last chance at a reconstruction that can help me feel a bit normal again. I have a need and asking for help is not something I have been very good at, but I realized that I have not been able to get through any of this alone. This is where you come in, I need your help, please. I need help to get this surgery done and I am humbly asking you to help me continue to write my story.

Since 2021 I have been through a lot. I know that I have complete faith in God that if he brought me to it, so he will get me through it, but some days have been very, very tough. I have had some Wins along the way too, like having my chemo and radiation treatments work, and for this I am grateful. I have had a lot of hospital stays, a lot of recoveries and many people who have cared for me inside and outside of the hospital too. Medical professionals for whom I am so grateful for, and family and friends who have been there along the way too. I cannot express the amount of gratitude in my heart for all these people, there just aren’t enough words. Throughout this journey I have experienced loss too. I lost my hair, my confidence, and sadly, some people too. This journey has also brought me to meet other breast cancer survivors who have lifted my spirits and inspired me along the way. I think I always knew that I was a strong person, but the truth is that I really had to learn what it means to actually be strong during this process. I have had some weak moments where I felt I couldn’t take this anymore. Some moments of true darkness where I felt the pain in my body, my heart and deep inside my soul. This is also hard to put into words too. Still, I am grateful and still, I tell myself, be strong. To you reading this, I say thank you, to you donating I say thank you. To God, to my family, to my friends… I am ever so grateful to be here to still be able to share my story.

Me llamo Karla y soy sobreviviente de cáncer de mama. Fui diagnosticada con cáncer de mama en diciembre de 2021. Después de mi diagnóstico, durante 2022 tuve quimioterapia (febrero), una histerectomía total (mayo), la primera cirugía reconstructiva de mama (mayo), una mastectomía doble (julio) y radiación (septiembre). Fui hospitalizada nuevamente y tratada por un coágulo de sangre en enero de 2023. Después de mi primera cirugía reconstructiva, tuve que someterme a varias cirugías reconstructivas debido a complicaciones. La segunda cirugía fue en octubre de 2023, la tercera en diciembre de 2023, la cuarta en julio de 2024, la quinta en noviembre de 2024 y la sexta en diciembre de 2024. Después de muchas cirugías y haber sido diagnosticada con la Enfermedad por Implantes Mamarios, tuve que quitarme los implantes el 1 de abril de 2025. El resultado de la extracción en general es algo para lo cual no estaba realmente preparada. Pensé que lo entendía y que debía esforzarme por ser fuerte, y la verdad es que este procedimiento me rompió en más de un sentido. Aún estoy trabajando en eso y quiero y necesito mejorar en todos los aspectos.

Dicho esto, ahora soy un candidato para una cirugía de S-Gap. Esta es mi última oportunidad para una reconstrucción que me ayude a sentirme un poco normal nuevamente. Tengo una necesidad y pedir ayuda no es algo en lo que haya sido muy bueno, pero me he dado cuenta de que no he podido superar nada de esto solo. Aquí es donde entras tú, necesito tu ayuda, por favor. Necesito ayuda para realizarme esta cirugía y humildemente te pido que me ayudes a continuar escribiendo mi historia. Desde 2021 he pasado por mucho. Sé que tengo plena fe en Dios, que si me llevó a esto, él me ayudará a superarlo, pero hay días que han sido muy, muy difíciles. También he tenido algunas victorias en el camino, como que mis tratamientos de quimioterapia y radiación funcionaran, y por esto estoy agradecido. He tenido muchas estancias en el hospital, muchas recuperaciones y muchas personas que se han preocupado por mí dentro y fuera del hospital. Profesionales médicos por quienes estoy muy agradecido, y familiares y amigos que han estado ahí junto a mí.