Unwound’s Sara Lund diagnosed with breast cancer; GoFundMe launched

Sara Lund, drummer of the reunited post-hardcore band Unwound has sadly revealed that she’s been diagnosed with breast cancer. She writes:

Dearest people, 6 months ago I had the delightful misfortune of being diagnosed with breast cancer. Invasive Lobular Carcinoma with lymph node involvement. Since then I have had lots of tests, waiting, surgeries, more tests, more waiting, and radiation. The diagnosis came right in the middle of a big move and I have been unable to establish a new teaching practice or find other work in my new city of Tacoma. It has been a brutally anxious several months with bills piling up and my energy sapped by treatments and recovery. I was lucky to have caught this early with a routine mammogram. Allow me to use this as a public service announcement: GET YOUR MAMMOGRAMS AND COLONOSCOPIES! I was completely caught off guard by this and had no clue I was carrying this disease around in me. My soul sister Janet Weiss has graciously set up this GoFundMe for me. Link in the bio. Don’t fret, upcoming tours are still a go. I wish rock n roll were really as lucrative and glamorous as Led Zeppelin made it seem…

A GoFundMe has been launched by Sara’s friend and fellow veteran PacNW indie drummer Janet Weiss, who writes:

This past April, my dear, sweet friend Sara Lund, beloved drummer of Unwound, musical inspiration, and extraordinary human, was diagnosed with breast cancer. The news was extremely out of the blue and a huge shock not only for Sara, but for her family, her teenage son, her partner, and her very tight knit circle of friends. For the past six uneasy months, the medical details have been slowly unfolding, with a surgery and many doctors’ appointments bringing more clarity in regards to the scope of the cancer and what path to take. The official diagnosis is Invasive Lobular Carcinoma in the left breast with a lymph node also positive for cancer. Fortunately Sara won’t need to endure chemotherapy, which she desperately wanted to avoid. She and her medical team have instead opted for a lumpectomy, radiation and endocrine therapy. Treatment and recovery will be challenging in all the ways mental, physical, emotional and financial. Luckily, we can help!

Being a lifer indie musician in no way prepares you for this type of financial setback. Although the doctors have given Sara the ok to play a few Unwound shows if she feels up to it, those won’t make her nearly enough money to traverse the many months of treatment and recovery. This is where the GoFundMe comes in.

As some of you know, five years ago my partner Drew and I were in a terrible car accident. I broke both my legs and my collar bone and couldn’t walk for months. It took more than two years to regain my strength and coordination. The GoFundMe my sister created was a massive game changer. The extreme outpouring of love and support, encouraging notes from friends and fans, donations of all sizes that relieved my intimidating financial burden, these kept me afloat while my formidable recovery stretched on. Our astonishing community showed up for me in the most profound ways. My sincere hope is we can pull together and do the same for Sara.

The fundraising goal is set for $25,000 to provide assistance in the following areas; house and practice space rent, medical bills and wellness expenses outside of insurance, copays, lost drum teaching income, monthly bills, gas, car maintenance, groceries, moving costs (Sara moved to Tacoma just prior to receiving her diagnosis), and the unexpected expenses we all inevitably encounter every month. Your donations go swiftly and directly to Sara. If you, like me, have been boundlessly inspired by Sara the person and her magnificent drumming, please consider making any size contribution and please share her story. Let’s show Sara we wouldn’t dream of letting her go this alone.

Love,
Janet

If you’re able to help, you can donate here. We’re pulling for you, Sara!

Unwound are playing Las Vegas’ new Best Friends Forever festival in October and other West Coast dates around then. All dates on the tour poster below.

—