Two months after being diagnosed, a woman gave birth to a baby.
Laura Mahon, 29, a St Helens resident, was just 20 weeks pregnant when in September she was diagnosed with cancer.
In November, she had a planned Caesarean and gave birth to Sienna. She weighed 3lbs 4oz (1.54kg).
After being told that she only had two years left, Ms Mahon stated that she was doing “all she could” in order to spread awareness.
When she lost feeling in her right leg, she was admitted to hospital.
Ms. Mahon was transferred by ambulance to the Walton Centre, where she was given an MRI scan. She was then diagnosed with a glioblastoma multiflora (GBM) brain tumor.
The doctors told her that the tumor had been present for many years and had begun to grow.
She said, “It was so shocking, I am only 29, and didn’t think anything like this could possibly happen to me.”
“I was so focused about the baby, but I was getting worse.”
Ms Mahon, along with her husband Danny, said that they had “many heartbreaking conversations” at 30-weeks and decided to have a planned Caesarean.
It was, she said, the “toughest decision we have ever made in our lives.”
BBC North West Tonight’s Mr Mahon said that it was a Catch 22. While you want your wife to be able to make it through this, there is a catch: The earlier you have your child, the greater the risk to Laura.
Ms Mahon received news that she had stage 4 brain cancer. She had just one month to live.
“You cannot prepare yourself for it.” “Hearing that out loud was an unforgettable moment,” Ms Mahon stated.
Sienna was her first home.
It felt surreal. I felt like I was living two lives. She said that everything looked great, and we were a happy family. Then she would recall how sick I was.
Ms Mahon said that it was so special to have Sienna and her husband.
“It can be hard at times and sometimes I just give up. People with GBMs live longer than me, and I’m trying to believe that this is possible for me.
“I’m fighting as hard as possible and I’m staying strong for my family.”
Brain Tumour Research is now being supported by the Mahons to raise funds to combat this disease.
Matthew Price from the charity stated that “too much” information was available about the causes, and that “increased investments was vital”.
He said: “Brain tumors kill more children than any other type of cancer, yet, historically, only 1% of national cancer research spending has been allocated for this terrible disease.”
Follow BBC North West on Facebook and Instagram. You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk
