MIAMI (WSVN) - A regular check-up ended with devastating news for a South Florida mother-to-be, but thanks to a team of skilled doctors and her resistance, she’s delivering a powerful survival story.
Desiree Doughty was five months pregnant when she found out she had stage 3 breast cancer.
“That’s when I was told I had inflammatory breast cancer,” she said. “Immediately I felt afraid because I was pregnant, I was afraid for my baby, of course. I didn’t know what was going to happen.”
It was her first pregnancy and even though breast cancer runs in her family, the 36-year-old said she never expected it to happen to her.
“I honestly didn’t think it would be me,” said Doughty. “Of course, you don’t think about that type of stuff with yourself.”
At that point, fear set in, and Doughty soon realized she needed to get through this for her unborn son Carter.
“My concern was only him,” she said. “I just wanted him to be, you know, born healthy, for me to have a safe delivery with him, for everything to be OK.”
Her doctors at Jackson Memorial Hospital helped her through the battle.
They admitted a challenging diagnosis like stage 3 breast cancer combined with pregnancy is rare and difficult.
“It really takes an enormous amount of personal strength to get through the process, especially the way that Miss Doughty did,” said UHealth oncologist Dr. Judith Hurley.
Doughty delivered her baby boy after going through nine chemotherapy sessions.
Through it all, especially amid the pandemic, she pulled through and has a message for those who find themselves in a tough spot.
“It’s going to be hard but find something to live for basically,” she said. “Like my thing was Carter, so Carter is my thing. He’s the reason why I decided to be positive. I wasn’t going to let cancer take me down easily.”
Doughty is asking people who hear her story to be proactive when it comes to their own health.
“Literally everybody that I told when I was saying, ‘My breast is weird and it feels weird, you think I should check it?’ literally everybody said, ‘No, it’s because you’re pregnant and everybody’s body responds differently.'”
Baby Carter is now 4 months old, and though his mom’s chemotherapy sessions are far from over, Doughty said she couldn’t be happier.
“He’s awesome, chubby, healthy, crazy — he has my attitude,” she said. “I feel good. I feel better than I thought I would feel.”
Doughty has since returned to work and still goes to chemotherapy once a week.
She is expected to finish her sessions by December.
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