'I was very worried about my baby and chemo'
Shakar had felt a small lump in her breast with no other symptoms, she was diagnosed with Breast Cancer. Three days after diagnosis she found that she was pregnant.
This is her story…
Shakar didn’t know it was possible to keep the baby alongside her cancer treatment. By default she thought that she would need a termination. Shakar had the termination booked and meanwhile had an emergency appointment with her surgical team where the second surgeon told her that it would be possible to keep her baby.
Shakar was very doubtful and still very determined to go for termination of the baby that she'd waited for a long time, because she was very worried that baby might not stand the chemotherapy.
Shakar started doing research and found Mummy’s Star. When she read the stories and saw pictures of little stars, it helped give her confidence and reassurance to keep her little star and fight the cancer whilst thinking about the development of the baby. Her baby was 7 weeks when she went through surgery. She had a mastectomy and auxiliary clearance and at 12 weeks pregnant started chemotherapy. She was induced at 37 weeks and then she had her radiotherapy.
Shakar said 'It was a shock for all of us. It took me about 3 months to come out of denial and accept my illness. My husband left his job and became a driver to be flexible able to take care of me and now the little star.
We are originally from Afghanistan. I live with my husband and we have two daughters aged 17 and 14 in addition to my star baby. We don’t have any other relatives or family members in UK. Nothing seemed normal to me and still it doesn’t.
My older daughter didn’t cope very well and is now suffering from anxiety and depression. I couldn’t continue my work and being off sick and then on maternity leave. Now that I am typing this, it is 19 months since first I felt the lump.
Treatment successfully finished and I am dealing with the side effects of treatments (such as body pain, joints pain, lack of concentration and also being so irritable and emotional). I went back to work this week.
If I had one piece of advice to give it would be to take life easy and enjoy every moment!
If it wasn’t for Mummy’s star, I wouldn’t have my little star in my arms.'
Shakar x
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