Gold Coast mum Jordyn Diebert’s cervical cancer shock during pregnancy

A Gold Coast mum is eternally grateful for falling pregnant when she did after a routine check-up saved her life.

A Gold Coast mum says her baby saved her life after a routine check-up during her pregnancy revealed she had cervical cancer.

Jordyn Diebert said she was at her first appointment with her obstetrician in January last year when the doctor discovered she had a 6.5cm mass on her cervix, which was later diagnosed as adenocarcinoma.

Ms Diebert, who was only 29-years-old at the time, was in her first trimester of pregnancy with her baby boy Hudson and had not experienced any concerning symptoms in the lead up to the appointment.

“At one of my first scans I had a bit of discharge. I asked whether that was normal which is why the obstetrician did a full internal review,” she said.

“I didn’t even know the cancer was there or that it was 6.5cm, I couldn’t feel a thing.”

Ms Diebert, now 30, said she was initially advised to terminate her pregnancy and begin chemotherapy and radiation.

But, after desperately seeking multiple opinions, she finally found a gynaecological oncologist who was willing for her to attempt treatment for the rare and aggressive cancer while pregnant.

Ms Diebert underwent chemotherapy every three weeks during her pregnancy while having regular ultrasound appointments to monitor Hudson’s growth.

“I had my son at 30 weeks through C-section,” she said.

“Before that I was in the hospital quite a bit with a few bleeds from the cancer. It’s a very vascular cancer. So I spent a lot of time in the emergency department and getting ultrasounds.”

Gold Coast mum Jordyn Diebert with her 1-year-old son Hudson has detailed how her pregnancy led her to find she had cervical cancer. Picture: Nigel Hallett

Hudson stayed in the NICU for a month and a half and Ms Diebert underwent more chemotherapy, radiation as well as brachytherapy, which is internal radiation. She was declared cancer-free in February this year.

While the intense treatment meant Ms Diebert could no longer conceive children, she was grateful for Hudson who was happy, healthy and soon to celebrate his first birthday.

“I’m so grateful that I fell pregnant with him, and I’m so grateful that I did end up having supportive doctors who helped me through pregnancy,” she said.

“If I hadn’t fallen pregnant with Hudson, I don’t think we would’ve found it in time. He saved my life.

“We were so happy, but so cautious, we tried not to be overly happy. Our parents would say, ‘this is supposed to be the happiest time of your life’ and ‘you should be taking photos every month of your pregnancy’. And I just didn’t because we were so concerned that at any point my life and Hudson’s could be at risk.”

Ms Diebert said her story was a reminder for others to advocate for themselves and push to have screening done if they feel something is not right.

“So much can change in 12 months … but it’s a really quick test to be able to take the next steps and make sure that everything’s all good. Especially if you are like me, and don’t have symptoms,” she said.

“The five-year mark for me would have been the beginning of this year, which was technically when I was due for a pap smear. Who knows what could have happened in 12 months with the type of cancer that I had. So personally, I would recommend screening more often.”

While her own cancer was not related to HPV (Human Papillomavirus), Ms Diebert was also raising awareness around the disease and its role in nearly all cervical cancer cases.

“It was very much pushed as a sexually transmitted disease and ‘that is the only way you can get it’. But I know people who have had it when they’ve been with their partners for over 10 years, it’s not just a sexually transmitted disease. It can carry other factors and can be caught in different ways,” she said.

Originally published as Gold Coast mum Jordyn Diebert’s cervical cancer shock during pregnancy