Laura Hudson, 34, and her husband Sam, were dealt the devastating news she had an aggressive breast cancer as they were prepared to welcome their first child
A mum who had to give birth prematurely after discovering she had aggressive breast cancer 36 weeks into her pregnancy is celebrating her daughter’s first birthday.
Laura Hudson, 34, and her husband Sam, were dealt the devastating news as they were prepared to welcome their first child.
Doctors booked Laura in for a quick C-section just a few days after she was diagnosed and baby Aurora was delivered safe and well at 37 weeks. Despite their ordeal, the family is celebrating Aurora’s first birthday on Thursday, as scans confirmed that Laura is also cancer-free. The lawyer, from Astley in Greater Manchester, said: “Whenever I was having a particularly tough moment, I’d focus on Aurora.
“She’s my aurora in the truest sense of the word, a beautiful light in the dark.” Laura says she “couldn’t be happier” to be cancer-free, although she will continue to have checks at The Christie Specialist Cancer Centre in Manchester.
The brave mum has undergone chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and a double mastectomy and is taking the drug tamoxifen to prevent the cancer from returning.
She said: “Aurora has been amazing. She’s made the last year worth going through all that awful stage, because it now feels like it didn’t happen, which is really strange.”
Laure first realised that something was wrong when she discovered a lump in her right breast. Despite suspecting that it was just a change due to her pregnancy she decided to get it checked out, but was stunned to learn it was cancer.
“My first thought was for my baby”, she recalled. The tumour had more than doubled in size by the time Laura had a mammogram and doctors knew they needed to act fast.
Laura added: “We don’t know what this means for having more children in the future, but we are so lucky to have had Aurora – other women are not so lucky.
“I’m now entirely focused on recovery and my future with Sam and Aurora. There’s so much I want to do, and I’m looking forward to what’s next.”