Upper Mount Gravatt mum Emma Perkins speaks up about giving birth with breast cancer
A brave Brisbane mother diagnosed with breast cancer while pregnant has spoken out about her miraculous birth — and her fears of what lies ahead.
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Brisbane mother Emma Perkins was newly married and only 12 weeks into her pregnancy when doctors revealed she had stage three breast cancer.
Her first thoughts after her diagnosis were for her unborn baby – and whether he would survive.
“The news was overwhelming,” Mrs Perkins, 41, of Upper Mount Gravatt, said.
“I was told that the pregnancy was actually fuelling the type of cancer I had.”
Oncologists and breast cancer nurses at Mater Private Hospital Brisbane prepared Mrs Perkins for the treatment that lay ahead.
She received chemotherapy specifically developed to protect her unborn child, as well as a lumpectomy, node removal and other breast surgeries.
In an extraordinary turnaround, four weeks ago she gave birth to a beautiful and healthy 3kg baby boy, Owen, at Mater Mothers’ Hospital in South Brisbane.
“I look at Owen and he has a full head of hair and his mum is bald – he has more hair than I do,” Mrs Perkins said.
Sadly, her fight against breast cancer is far from finished and she faces several more rounds of chemotherapy.
“The hardest thing is not knowing if I will see my child grow up,” Mrs Perkins said.
“It’s the hardest thing I face every day.”
One of the things that has helped in the tough times was the support of her husband Jamie Perkins, 42 and from her friends, family and colleagues.
“We were newlyweds. Jamie has been very supportive of me from the beginning and being able to hold Owen in my arms every day is a miracle,” Mrs Perkins said.
To give back to the hospital that saved the life of her unborn baby, Mrs Perkins has signed up to this year’s sold-out International Women’s Day Fun Run, presented by National Storage - Australia’s largest International Women’s Day celebration.
She is being joined by almost 40 work colleagues from Grove Juice, her husband and little
Owen, at the 5km fun run held in Brisbane on March 12.
The event raises vital funds for breast cancer research and services in Mater Foundation’s biggest community event of the year.
Mater Oncologist and Mater Cancer Care Researcher (Clinical Trials) Rebecca Moor said Mrs Perkins was one of six pregnant women diagnosed with cancer at Mater in the past 12 months.
“It is a challenging clinical situation since the welfare of both the mother and baby must be considered. The cancer Emma has is rare in young women,” Dr Moor said.
“Pregnancy affects what investigations can be done, how well they can be interpreted and what treatments can be given.
“Treatment is complex and requires a large specialist multidisciplinary team including obstetrics, maternal fetal medicine, a specialist midwife, obstetric medicine, oncologists, a cancer care nurse, surgeons, a breast care nurse, pharmacists and a paediatrician.”
She said pregnant women often dismissed changes to their breasts while pregnant or breastfeeding.
“If you notice any change, even a lump, get it checked out” Dr Moor said.
She said Mater Research – which receives funding from the fun run – was striving for ways to improve breast cancer patient outcomes.
“A huge part of this is by delivering cutting edge treatments through involvement in breast cancer clinical trials,” Dr Moor said.
“Clinical trials at Mater Research are a really important option for our patients, especially for advanced cancer patients. It’s another line of therapy for them.
“With advanced cancer, every six months we can give a patient is precious. Additional treatment means the world to them.
“These trials may offer patients additional lines of treatment, or access to new therapies not yet available on the PBS.”
Ash Mondolo, Clinical Nurse Consultant at Mater Private Hospital Brisbane, said that the incidence of breast cancer was steadily growing in Australia, but improvements in treatment and care meant that more women are successfully beating or living with breast cancer.
“Women must regularly check their breasts and seek medical advice if they notice any changes,” Ms Mondolo said.
“If you are invited to a mammogram, make sure you go.
“Breast cancer doesn’t care if you’re busy. A 10-minute mammogram could save your life.”
While the Fun Run has sold out, people can still register for the virtual event, which can happen anywhere in their local neighbourhood.
Emma has raised more than $2000.
To help her fundraise visit https://fundraise.mater.org.au/fundraisers/EmmaPerkins
To sign up to the virtual event visit, fundraise.mater.org.au/event/funrun-2023/virtual-how-it-works
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Originally published as Upper Mount Gravatt mum Emma Perkins speaks up about giving birth with breast cancer
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