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Mom told to end pregnancy to start treatment. Her decision changed it all
Yahoo • • health
Key Points:
- Alicia Harris, a 37-year-old Florida woman, was diagnosed with aggressive early breast cancer at 14 weeks pregnant and chose to undergo surgery and chemotherapy while continuing her pregnancy, against initial medical advice to terminate.
- Harris faced severe physical challenges during treatment, including nausea, vomiting, nosebleeds, and COVID-19 infection, requiring close medical monitoring and support from family.
- Finding limited medical guidance on cancer treatment during pregnancy, she sought and found an online community of pregnant cancer patients that provided crucial emotional support.
- Now an oncology nurse and advocate, Harris founded the nonprofit Journi for Two to support pregnant women with cancer and participates in the About Damn Time campaign, highlighting the often-overlooked challenges of cancer survivorship.
- Harris emphasizes that survivorship involves ongoing emotional and physical recovery beyond active treatment, a reality she experienced firsthand while raising her daughter, Journi.
