Cancer patient was told to discontinue her pregnancy due to risks — she made a life-changing call and welcomed a 'miracle child'

It all started when the woman felt a lump in her breast during her first trimester and decided to push for answers.

PUBLISHED 3 HOURS AGO

(L) A female cancer patient at a hospital; (R) A mom holding her baby in her arms. (Representative Cover Image Source: Getty Images | (L) SDI Productions; (R) Thanasis Zovoilis)

Faith might help people get through many challenging situations. A pregnant woman pushed through the majority of her pregnancy because of her faith and resilience. It all started when the woman, Jade Devis, felt a lump in her breast during the first trimester of her pregnancy. She was eventually diagnosed with breast cancer, and the doctor told her to discontinue her pregnancy, as it was too early for her to give birth to a healthy child. However, Devis decided to hold on, per Loma Linda University Health.

A pregant woman sitting on a bed. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | The Good Brigade — A pregnant woman sitting on a bed. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by The Good Brigade)

Devis had noticed the large lump on her breast in March 2019. She saw a physician who referred her to a radiologist. The doctor remarked that it was likely a symptom of pregnancy. However, Devis tried to push for a better answer and got a biopsy done. She was eventually diagnosed with Stage 2 triple-negative breast cancer, which is a rare form of the disease. "If I had ignored it, I would have been dead." The doctor pointed out to her that she was in too early a stage of pregnancy to guarantee a healthy child and that she would need a specialist's help if she wanted to continue her pregnancy.

A pregnant woman talking to a doctor. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Yellow Picture Studio — A pregnant woman talking to a doctor. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Yellow Picture Studio)

"What would happen to my baby and if he did make it, what would happen to me?" Devis remembered thinking during her pregnancy. But she had decided to seek a specialist's help. "I did not know how I felt about the pregnancy until I was told I should not continue my pregnancy. That is when something rose up inside of me — I wanted to keep my baby because I would not allow a stranger to tell me my child’s fate." The woman went through a lumpectomy, but was quite scared that general anesthesia would affect her baby. The doctors reassured her that they had used nerve blockers to keep the baby safe and were able to perform the procedure successfully. Devis reached out to breast cancer specialist Gayathri Nagaraj at Loma Linda University Cancer Center.

Woman undergoing a mammogram. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Helen King — Woman undergoing a mammogram. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Helen King)

Devis also underwent several rounds of chemotherapy to prevent the recurrence of cancer in any of her other organs. "Going through chemotherapy is tough for anyone and we do our very best to support our patients in every way we can at Loma Linda University Cancer Center. In Jade’s situation, we had to be doubly cautious and alert to ensure the safety of the patient and the baby. I am extremely glad to be working with an amazing team that all came together to make this possible," Nagaraj explained. As a single mom, several people at the hospital helped Devis throughout her journey.

Woman undergoing chemotherapy. Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Fat Camera — Woman undergoing chemotherapy. (Representative Image Source: Getty Images | Photo by Fat Camera)

The woman gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Bradley, in July 2019. She was going to finish her final rounds of infusion therapy in November 2019, and the doctors believed that she would be cancer-free at the end of the treatment. The 36-year-old added, "My baby boy is my miracle child. It is surreal to remember that my pregnancy had an element of extraordinary fear. I am blessed when I look at my son and I cannot ask for more than that." She was grateful for the team at the center who helped through all of it. "Loma Linda University Cancer Center team gave me more than my son. They picked up my spirit and rejuvenated my soul."