Jemma, United Kingdom
On World Cancer Day, I am sharing my story to inspire others facing a similar battle, and to celebrate the dedication of the scientific and medical experts working tirelessly to help people like me reach remission.
In September 2022, I was diagnosed with a very rare pregnancy-related cancer after experiencing a miscarriage from a ‘molar pregnancy’. The placental tissue transformed into a malignant tumour that spread to other parts of my body. The news was devastating, to say the least. No one ever expects to conceive cancer!
Gestational cancers are among the cruelest forms of the disease. The joy and excitement of carrying a new life inside you turns to terror and disbelief when you are told that this life may now take yours. In an instant, everything changes: instead of heading to the Maternity ward, you now head to the Oncology unit. Ultrasounds that once checked the growth of your baby are now used to monitor shrinking tumours. Your friends’ excited talk of blossoming baby bumps and future milestones is replaced by anxious conversations with chemotherapy patients. But cancer has no boundaries and does not make exceptions, not even for new life.
Still, being diagnosed with this cancer made me feel incredibly fortunate. Fortunate that, despite the rarity of gestational trophoblastic disease, the medical community has been able to unravel its scientific mystery and exploit its weaknesses. Traditional chemotherapy is effective and the side effects, in my case, were mild. The hardest part was adjusting to the reality that my family plans had been put on hold indefinitely - a positive pregnancy test, which is usually an exciting milestone, instead marked the beginning of an unexpected and worrisome journey. This U-turn was difficult to accept. However, the care I received from the gestational cancer team at Charing Cross hospital in London was exceptional and their expertise, compassion and optimism gave me great comfort that my life, and my fertility, were in safe hands.
In some ways, I didn’t feel worthy of being considered a cancer patient when this cruel disease takes so many other more sinister forms with far bleaker outlooks. That said, I know that there will continue to be a handful of unfortunate pregnant women diagnosed with this cancer across the UK every week, with the same tears, fears and uncertainty I had, and I am compelled to share my story to give them hope and comfort that the journey to remission is not as bad as one may expect upon hearing the news you have cancer. A baby may seem a distant, faded hope, but as I sit here now with my four month old daughter happily bouncing away on my lap, I realise that time can pass both painfully slowly and incredibly quickly, and your future dreams are never really that far away.
I am sharing my story to inspire others and give them hope that cancer can be beaten. A diagnosis can make you feel isolated and vulnerable, and it is important to lean on the medical professionals, support community and friends and family to make those dark days a little brighter. With their help, you will discover a strength and resilience you never knew existed.