Pregnant and breast cancer, Rocio Albornoz did this to save unborn son

Rocio Albornoz was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer in her second trimester. This is the remarkable story of how little Liam was delivered safely into the world.

It took a team of experts, a determined mum and a lot of luck to deliver tiny Liam Carroll safely into the world.

Now six weeks old he is a healthy, happy baby with an impressive mop of dark hair.

His mum Rocio (Rosie) Albornoz, 39, couldn’t be more proud, or relieved, that her son is finally here.

Half way through her already high-risk pregnancy, in December Ms Albornoz received the shock diagnosis that she had an aggressive type of breast cancer.

It came 11 years after she had been successfully treated for cervical cancer and in the same week she was told she had gestational diabetes.

Rocio Albornoz with husband Oliver Carroll holding their son Liam, and daughter Ella, 2. Picture: David Caird

Ms Albornoz’s specialist obstetrician Dr Scott Shemer from the Epworth Freemasons said the pregnancy was “challenging”.

“It’s certainly up there as one of the most complex pregnancies I have managed in terms of the number of obstacles faced by a single patient,” Dr Shemer said.

He worked with colleagues at the hospital to form a multidisciplinary team to care for Ms Albornoz and her unborn baby. It included a breast surgeon, a medical oncologist, a plastic surgeon and a peri-natal psychologist.

Together they developed a treatment plan that enabled her breast cancer to be treated in stages while keeping Liam safe until he could be born via caesarean in April.

Liam, who was born at the Epworth Freemasons, with dad Oliver Carroll (left), mum Rocio Albornoz and specialist obstetrician Dr Scott Shemer. Image: Supplied.

Ms Albornoz was in her second trimester, which helped, as Dr Shemer said the risk profile changed in terms of what could be safely used.

“The mum’s welfare is our absolute priority and we need to be able to treat Rosie, but her care was largely unaffected by her pregnancy,” he said.

“Most of the medical treatment in terms of her chemotherapy was able to be utilised and when I spoke to Peter Newton, her breast surgeon, he said that her prognosis would be unaffected by the modifications that we made because of her pregnancy.”

Dr Shemer said what was unique was that everyone was able to come together quickly because they all worked at the same hospital within metres of each other.

“I think that really helped because whenever Rosie needed any care it was in one place at the same time.”

Rocio Albornoz found out at 20 weeks pregnant that she had breast cancer. Picture: David Caird

A week before Christmas having a second diagnosis of cancer was not what Ms Albornoz was expecting, but it may have helped to save her life and that of Liam.

“Since I already had cancer, I’m very diligent with my check- ups,” she said. “I never let time pass by when they are due and that’s why I contacted the doctor so fast.”

Ms Albornoz, who also has an almost three-year-old daughter Ella with husband Oliver Carroll, said she was concerned when she noticed a drop of blood from a nipple.

“I called my doctor straight away, and was told to come in as soon as possible.”

Initially tests came back clear of cancer.

“So I’m like, OK, that’s a win, but then Dr Shemer said he couldn’t leave it there, that he couldn’t rest not knowing what it was. Because he says if it’s not cancer, what is it?”

Both of Ms Albornoz’s pregnancies have been high risk as much of her cervix was removed as part of her previous cervical cancer treatment in 2014.

Rocio Albornoz while pregnant with Liam. She’s with husband Oliver Carroll and daughter Ella. Picture: Supplied

While this didn’t make pregnancy impossible, it did require her to have a transabdominal cerclage, or stitch, that prevents the cervix from opening and losing the pregnancy too soon.

She said she was in luck because one of the world’s leading experts in this method and in the treatment of cervical incompetence (when the cervix won’t stay closed) was Melbourne-based Associate Professor Alex Ades.

He just happens to work “a few metres” from her obstetrician at the Epworth Freemasons.

In April Dr Shemer delivered Liam and now Ms Albornoz has resumed weekly chemotherapy sessions along with targeted therapy. In September she will have a double mastectomy and reconstructive surgery.

Ms Albornoz said the team who had cared for her and Liam had been amazing and she was also incredibly lucky to have the support of her parents who had come from Chile and her in-laws who travelled from the UK as a tag-team to help care for the family as she recovers.

Cradling her new son, Ms Albornoz said she wanted to share her story to help other women facing similar situations to feel less alone and to provide hope.