She has dubbed her baby a "miracle child" and the internet has hailed her for being a brave mom.
Editor's note: This article was originally published on April 8, 2020. It has since been updated.
Jane Devis was determined that she does not want to terminate her pregnancy. In 2019, she was diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer, just a few months after she got to know that she was pregnant, reports the Mail.
She underwent surgery to remove the lump from her breast in the first trimester of her pregnancy. However, she was told that she would need chemotherapy as well. "I had parent guilt. I felt bad for already feeling bad," she told Good Morning America.
"Then, someone tells you the only way out of the situation [is] by doing one thing you're not supposed to do, and that puts your baby in harm's way," she added. According to the Mail, she was told that her baby is too young to survive this medical treatment. But she wanted to bring her baby into the world, and a mother's instinct is often right. So she took her pregnancy and chemotherapy head-on.
Before starting with her treatments, she was also told that there can be no guarantee that she will give birth to a healthy baby after going through cancer treatment. But the 36-year-old mother was desperate to give birth to a healthy baby, something every mother would wish for.
“I did not know how I felt about the pregnancy until I was told I should not continue my pregnancy,” Devis said. “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," Cafe Mom quotes her.
Devis initially underwent surgery on April 9 to remove the lump. On April 29, she received a Grade 3 breast cancer diagnosis. Dr. Gayathri Nagaraj, Devis' oncologist at Loma Linda University Cancer Center, told Good Morning America that it's safer for women to undergo treatment during the second and third trimesters of pregnancy with modifications and the fetus' safety in mind.
"She received three cycles of chemo during the second and third trimesters of her pregnancy," Nagaraj said of Devis. "We took a full week break so she could safely deliver baby Bradley. Now she's completing the remainder of her chemo."
Bradley arrived on July 25 at 6 pounds,11 ounces. There were no complications with his birth. "I love him so much. He's my focus now," Devis told Good Morning America. "I am over the moon as a new mom," Devis wrote on her GoFundMe page. "I still become overwhelmed with gratitude as I recall all the support and prayers I received from strangers during my pregnancy and continue to receive to this day. I am also grateful to all the doctors and nurses at Loma Linda who have treated me with such care and compassion and were my Angels during this hard period. I am indebted to all."
A photo of her kissing her "miracle boy" for the first time went viral and supporters are showering love on the brave mother and baby Bradley. "I know I am blessed when I look at my son," she wrote on her GoFundMe page. "I can’t ask for more than that. I have no expectations as I know there are so many others out there going through hard times of their own, but I am grateful for this platform nonetheless."
Devis said her advice to other women feeling unusual pain in their breasts is to "see your doctor immediately." She added, "Try to express and exaggerate how much it hurts," Devis added. "You'll have horrible days, but there are days that will make you want to fight. Don't let it get so ugly inside," reports GMA.
References:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/Jade-Devis-Loma-Linda-Miracle-Baby
Source: Facebook (L) Mothering Diary and (R) Oregon Right to Life
