Support Laura's Second Battle with Cancer

Help Laura Beat Cancer — Again

Hi everyone, my name is Kate and I’m writing this with a full heart for my dear friend, Laura. We met years ago working side by side at Mayfair Animal Hospital, and from the very beginning, we connected over our love for science and veterinary medicine. We have shared countless memories and milestones together. Laura is one of the most brilliant, caring, and resilient people I know. Now, she needs our help so she can continue sharing in many more memories and milestones with all of us.

Our incredible friend, and beloved veterinary technician and researcher at NC State College of Veterinary Medicine, is facing cancer for the second time.

Laura, was first diagnosed with "Keith the Carcinoma" in August 2022. Keith was a Stage IIb triple-negative invasive ductal carcinoma — a particularly aggressive form of breast cancer. She endured 16 rounds of chemo, 30 sessions of radiation, and a lumpectomy, all with courage, grace, and a sense of humor that somehow never wavered.

For a while, it looked like Keith had been defeated with several follow-up scans showing no signs of disease. However, in December 2024, Laura’s surveillance testing showed a faint positive and now, it's confirmed: Keith is back. She is still Stage IIb, but this means she now faces:

-3 more months of chemo

-A mastectomy

-And then another 3 months of chemo

Laura is only in her 30s. She and her amazing and supportive husband, Shawn, were just beginning their life together when her first diagnosis hit. The physical, emotional, and financial toll has been immense. If you know Laura, you know her wisdom, her strength, her intelligence, her fierce love for animals and her passion for scientific advancement. She’s devoted her life to veterinary medicine — as a tech, a teacher, a researcher — and her work has touched countless lives, both animal and human. She’s the kind of person who never asks for help, which is why I'm asking on her behalf.

How You Can Help:

Donate what you can. Every little bit helps cover medical bills, living expenses, and the cost of missed work during this next round of treatment.

Leave a message of love and support. It means more than you know.

Share this campaign. The more eyes on this, the more help we can offer Laura and Shawn during this incredibly difficult time.

Laura is a vital part of our veterinary and local community — an intelligent mind, a compassionate soul, and a cherished friend. She has always shown up for others. Now it’s our turn to show up for her.

Let’s remind her that she’s not alone. That she’s deeply loved. That Keith STILL doesn’t stand a chance.

Thank you so much for your support.

#FightLikeLaura #FightLikeAGirl #BreastCancerAwareness #F***Keith