It’s joy overload for 32-year-old Kayleigh Turner, who had her first baby after beating stage-two breast cancer.
Kayleigh was diagnosed with cancer when she was just 26, after discovering a lump on her breast during a shower. At the time, she was the youngest patient in her hospital ward undergoing chemotherapy.
The private banking manager’s biggest fear was chemotherapy leaving her infertile and unable to have children with her partner Josh.
Now that she is cancer-free and a mum to little Quinn, she is sharing her story to raise money for Stand Up To Cancer to fund research for a cure.
Kayleigh told local media, that even after finding a lump in her breast and being sent for tests, she wasn’t expecting to be diagnosed with cancer.
She explained that though everyone thought she was too young for the cancer fears, her gut feeling led her to go for checks at the hospital.
According to Kayleigh, after the biopsy and ultrasound, she knew something was wrong when she was asked to get her results in person. She had stage two breast cancer and a fast-growing tumor that hadn’t yet spread to her lymph nodes. Her worst fears had been confirmed.
Just as she started treatment, she told the doctors of her plans to start a family and was immediately referred to a fertility specialist at another hospital. Due to her fears of the potential dire aftereffects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy, some of her eggs were harvested and frozen alongside some embryos.
The procedure was a backup plan for Kayleigh and Josh, although her baby girl, Quinn was conceived naturally.
Kayleigh’s treatment lasted a total of nine months and she credits Josh, her parents Sue and Mark and family and friends for providing her with the support she needed throughout.
Kayleigh and Josh were over the moon to welcome baby Quinn earlier this year.
She said: “She’s a little dream, quite an easy baby, and a happy little soul”, she said of her daughter. The new mum’s mission is now to help other people suffering from cancer.
Kayleigh supports the Cancer Research UK Race for Life each year and tries to spread the word to friends about the importance of knowing their bodies and getting any symptoms checked.
Maria Carlos has been writing for over 10 years. She lives in Montana with her family and pets.