This Pregnant Woman Knew Her Baby Was A Miracle. But She Had The Hardest Decision To Make

Joe Powell had been trying to get pregnant for years, so it should have been a joyous occasion when she finally did. But just days after discovering she was expecting, she was faced with a nightmarish choice. A 41-year-old office administrator, Powell had always hoped to start a family with her husband, Richard. Unfortunately, the couple had no luck conceiving until they received the exciting news in 2010.

But their happiness was short-lived. Right after finding out she was pregnant, Powell discovered a lump in one of her breasts. Although not all masses of breast tissue are cancerous (some form during menopause and others as harmless moving masses in younger women), Powell’s case was different. She probably felt a firm cyst under her skin, a common indication of breast cancer.

Doctors at Nottingham City Hospital confirmed the devastating diagnosis. This news not only impacted Powell’s health, but also raised concerns for her unborn baby. In an interview given in 2012 to Daily MailPowell said: “When I heard the word cancer, my first thought was, ‘I’m going to lose my baby.'”

The situation was dire. Being pregnant meant that immediate chemotherapy was not an option. According to a 2012 study published in The Lancet Oncology JournalMost experts agree that chemotherapy should be avoided during the first trimester. During this time, the baby’s organs are developing rapidly and exposure to chemotherapy could have serious consequences. Likewise, chemotherapy during the last two months of pregnancy is not recommended due to its impact on white blood cell levels, thus increasing the risk of infection during childbirth.

To complicate matters further, Powell’s doctors explained that her pregnancy hormones were fueling the cancer, causing it to spread faster. Faced with this reality, her medical team suggested an unthinkable decision: terminate the pregnancy to prioritize her health. For Powell, this recommendation was heartbreaking. “It was like a real nightmare. We had been trying to have a baby for years,” she told Daily Mail.

Despite medical advice, Powell decided to take a different route. “I knew we couldn’t abandon our baby. I had no chance of sacrificing him to save myself,” she said. This choice meant gambling with her own life, as she would have to delay her cancer treatment until her baby’s development had progressed sufficiently.

Powell’s doctors developed an alternative plan. They chose to remove her tumors with surgery, but postponed chemotherapy until later in her pregnancy. Five months into her pregnancy, Powell began chemotherapy treatments. From that point on, all she could do was wait and hope for the best.

As Christmas approached in 2010, Powell went into labor. She soon held her newborn son, Jake, in her arms. Remarkably, he was born without any health complications despite his mother’s chemotherapy treatments. For Powell and her husband, Jake was the ultimate Christmas present. “We were convinced that parenthood wasn’t going to happen for us, so Jake was so special,” she explained.

However, Powell’s journey was far from over. Shortly after giving birth to Jake, she began intensive treatment for cancer. This included a mastectomy to combat the disease. While in the hospital, Powell’s husband took on the responsibility of caring for their newborn son. Despite the difficulties, the family’s sacrifices paid off. Doctors finally gave Powell the all-clear, marking the end of a tumultuous chapter.

Reflecting on her experience, Powell said, “We’re just thrilled to finally be a happy, healthy family after everything we’ve been through. I feel like I won the lottery. I am the luckiest woman in the world.

This miraculous story is an inspiring testimony to the power of resilience and hope in the face of adversity.