Young mom was giving birth to her second child when midwives noticed something alarming — she was later told she had months to live
One life-altering diagnosis can shift the focus from what lies ahead to what can be cherished now. Children's nurse and Essex resident Alex Stewart was giving birth to her and her husband Joe's second child, Teddy, when the midwives noticed an alarming sign - they found a lump. Although they initially wrote it off as a varicose vein, as Alex did not bleed much during the labor, she heard the heartbreaking news of her life after the doctors conducted a biopsy. Reported by PEOPLE on Sunday, February 22, 2026, Alex is now told by her doctors that she has only months to live.
The 28-year-old mom, caught up in the "newborn bubble," did not pay much attention to the suspicious lump after the midwives dismissed it. However, eight weeks following her delivery, she noticed a few lumps in her neck as she woke up on Christmas Day with a bloated stomach. Alex was advised to undergo an MRI and a biopsy to rule out any serious concerns. However, the reports carried heartbreaking news that Alex, her husband, and her children were not prepared to hear. She was diagnosed with cervical cancer.
"Every healthcare professional I met told me it was unlikely to be cancer because of my age and because I was healthy, so to get the diagnosis was very numbing," she told PEOPLE. According to the GoFundMe page set up by her friends Jessie, Becky, Lucy, and Megan, Alex began her chemotherapy and radiation treatment. But when her cancer still spread, the doctors declared that her illness was incurable, giving her six months to two years to live.
The news shattered Alex. Her first thought was how her kids would cope without their mother's presence. Alex and her husband hadn't planned their honeymoon yet, and the doctors’ news has now cut all of her plans short. As she navigates her second cycle of chemotherapy, she has reflected on the challenges of coping with the illness while being a wife and mother. Speaking to the Mirror, she said, "We couldn't go out and do things as a family. I didn't get to go to baby classes or anything like that because I was so unwell." Alex, who is now unable to breastfeed her son, opened up about the challenges of motherhood while battling the disease.
"I miss doing the simple things for my children, as I am so tired and in pain. I struggle to pick up my children, to take my daughter to daycare, to make them dinner." Alex credited her husband, who works as a PE teacher at a secondary school, for being her support system. Her friends, who set up the GoFundMe page, wanted to give a small contribution for her to spend however she wishes. However, Alex plans to utilize the money to make as many memories with her children as possible. Alex's family has now moved in with her parents.
She has also asked that part of the donations be set aside to help her children as they grow up and learn to navigate life without her. From play therapy to counseling, she hopes they will have the support needed to cope and ease the emotional toll in the years ahead. "Our hope is to help make life a little easier and allow them to focus on what truly matters—time together and making lasting memories as a family," her friends wrote.
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