Together for Karen: A Journey to Regain Health and Hope

Support Karen’s Journey Through Chronic Granulomatous Mastitis

Dear friends, family, and kind-hearted supporters,

I am reaching out from Chicago to share the story of my sister-in-law, Karen. She is married to my twin brother Christopher and they are based in Costa Rica, and she is facing an incredibly challenging battle with chronic granulomatous mastitis (GLM), a rare and benign breast inflammatory disease that primarily affects women of childbearing age. For nearly two years, Karen has endured persistent breast pain, tenderness, and other debilitating symptoms that have severely impacted her ability to work and care for her family.

Karen's condition has brought about significant physical and emotional distress. She experiences palpable lumps, redness, swelling, and sometimes nipple retraction, all of which cause discomfort and anxiety, especially due to the potential for her symptoms to mimic breast cancer. This ongoing struggle requires frequent medical monitoring, adding to her worries and challenges.

Throughout this journey, Karen has gone through many difficult health episodes, undergoing multiple biopsies and various treatments such as chemotherapy and steroids. Unfortunately, none of these treatments have successfully controlled her autoimmune disease. Instead, these medications have led to deterioration in her liver and kidney function, as well as affecting her platelets and immune system. She has been hospitalized numerous times to manage infections caused by these very treatments, which only adds to her burden.

Currently, Karen is undergoing chemotherapy, which is the only treatment that allows her to feel somewhat "okay." However, the side effects often leave her unable to work, further straining her ability to support her family alongside her husband, Christopher, and their two children, Mateo and Valentina. After extensive consultations with numerous doctors, the only viable option is a double mastectomy followed by breast reconstruction. This decision comes after almost two years of navigating a difficult healthcare journey, and while it is a necessary step toward her recovery, it brings with it substantial medical costs.

Karen has been married to Christopher for 10 wonderful years, and she is an amazing wife and mother who deserves the chance to heal and regain her quality of life. I am motivated to ask for help so that she can reclaim that quality of life and continue to be the supportive partner and mother her family needs.

**How You Can Help**

We are seeking to raise $13,000 to support Karen through this difficult time. Your contributions will go directly toward her medical expenses, including surgeries, follow-up care, and necessary treatments. We aim to gather these funds within the next six months, so every little bit helps.

Your support—whether through a donation or by sharing her story—means the world to us and will make a significant difference in Karen's fight.

Thank you for taking the time to read about Karen’s journey. Together, we can help her find hope and healing.

With heartfelt gratitude,

Karol