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Mom Battles Cancer While Pregnant, Welcomes Healthy Baby
10 Oct
Summary
- A Florida woman defied doctors' advice to terminate her pregnancy for cancer treatment.
- She underwent chemotherapy and surgery while 14 weeks pregnant.
- Years later, she founded a nonprofit supporting pregnant women with cancer.
Alicia Harris, a Florida woman, faced a critical choice at 14 weeks pregnant when diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer. Doctors recommended terminating the pregnancy to begin immediate treatment, but Harris sought other opinions. She found a doctor willing to treat her while pregnant, undergoing chemotherapy and surgery.
The treatment proved challenging, with Harris experiencing severe nausea, vomiting, and frequent health issues. She also contracted COVID-19, temporarily pausing her chemotherapy. Support from family and an online community of pregnant cancer patients provided crucial emotional strength during this isolating period.
Years later, Harris, now an oncology nurse, founded Journi for Two, a nonprofit aiding pregnant women diagnosed with cancer. She also champions the About Damn Time campaign, focusing on the often-under supported long-term realities of cancer survivorship.
