Mum’s devastating cancer diagnosis while six months pregnant

A Queensland woman was six months pregnant when she received shocking news that turned her world upside down.

A Queensland woman was six months pregnant when she received the shocking news an aggressive and incurable cancer had spread throughout her body.

Sarah with her partner Luke when Halle was first born.

At 28, Sarah Shaddick’s first thought was not for herself but for baby Halle.

“I needed to be sure she would be safe through any treatment and promised myself that when she arrived every single second with her would mean the world and I had to cherish every smile, every milestone,” the Jimboomba woman said.

“I told the doctor I didn’t want to know how long I had to live. I don’t want to exist on a deadline. I will fight for every moment and I will take more photos than any new mum in history.

“Not every woman gets to be a mum, I’m lucky.”

The young mum was diagnosed with leiomyosarcoma, a rare cancer that begins in smooth muscle tissue, which is found in many areas of the body, including the digestive system, urinary system, uterus and blood vessels.

Her doctor, Mater Cancer Care Centre senior medical oncologist Catherine Shannon said there were no reports of similar cases in a pregnant woman and there was no road map on treatment.

“It is safe to use certain types of chemotherapy in the second or third trimester of pregnancy without any adverse effects on the mother or baby,” Dr Shannon said.

“We had to use drugs we knew might work for her rare sarcoma and knew they were safe during pregnancy. The drugs worked for a while but then the sarcoma became resistant.”

Sarah Shaddick with baby Halle and fiance Luke. Picture: Mater Hospital

Ms Shaddick was 25 when she felt that the area just below her ribs was rock hard. A visit to the doctor sent her on a head-spinning journey. An ultrasound and then a CAT scan showed up a large mass.

“I had a 1.4kg mass, measuring 15cm by 20cm growing on my stomach between my ribs. It was surgically removed and I also had surgery for a cancer on my back and thigh. At this point no chemotherapy was needed. It was just surveillance”

With her partner Luke, Ms Shaddick had embryos frozen.

“I always wanted to be a mum and was scared any treatment would spoil my chances. As it happens I fell pregnant naturally not long after,” she said.

It was at six months into the pregnancy the devastating diagnosis came that the cancer had spread and was now incurable.

Sarah Shaddick with baby Halle. Picture: Mater Hospital

After undergoing multiple rounds of intense chemotherapy while pregnant, Ms Shaddick gave birth to Halle, her first child at Mater Mothers’ Hospital on March 9 at 37.5 weeks gestation and weighing 2.4kg.

“She is perfect and having her makes this awful time so much more bearable. I just look at her and am all consumed. I don’t think of anything else. She is my purpose and having her feels so right,” Ms Shaddick said. Just two weeks after the birth, the new mum returned to chemotherapy. Unfortunately treatment has not worked.

“I won’t give up. I start radiation soon and will look at other options. There is always hope and I have too much to live for.”