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cancer, diagnosed with cancer while pregnant, hope for two, mom with cancer, pregnancy and cancer, pregnant with cancer
After writing THIS post, which received thousands of hits, I received many emails and notes. One of them was from a lovely mother in her thirties named Nella. Nella was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma last April when she was 19 weeks pregnant with her sixth child. She started treatment in May during her second trimester. Nella delivered her daughter this past July at 32 weeks. The baby is home now and mama writes that her daughter is doing ‘beautifully’. Mama is in remission and just underwent her last chemo.
Many people don’t know that pregnant women can be treated for cancer successfully and safely for mother and child. I didn’t at first and was terrified. I have benefited greatly from a wonderful organization called Hope for Two. They connect pregnant cancer patients with a support woman who was treated for their same cancer during pregnancy. They also have a doctor who is compiling a database tracking pregnancy and cancer and who helps women find medical care best suited to their unique situation. It is not a pro-life organization per se, but the work they do is absolutely pro-life because they show women that cancer in pregnancy does not automatically mean a choice between aborting their child or death.
I am so grateful to hear of this. My diagnosis came just AFTER the birth of my baby. I am happy to hear that women diagnosed DURING their pregnancies have support and hope, and wanted to make sure I passed this along. If you would like to read Nella’s blog where she sorts out her experience and other things about life, you can find it HERE.