Life can be inspiringly beautiful at times, but it can also be brutally harsh. The unpredictability of it all, I suppose, is part of what makes it so interesting.
Brianna Rawlings was 18 years old, 17 weeks pregnant, and eager to become a mother when she received a devastatingly harsh blow.
Doctors diagnosed the teenager with NK cell leukemia, a rare and aggressive type of cancer. Previously, hospitals and doctors dismissed all signs of leukemia as “pregnancy-related symptoms.”
Brianna faced a decision between terminating her pregnancy and receiving life-saving treatment, or delivering her son and hoping for a healthy and happy life.
The young girl decided not to pursue therapy while pregnant, instead focusing on bringing her son into the world. In a tragic twist of fate, her sacrifice would result in the deaths of both mother and child.
Kyden, her son, lived only 12 days on Earth. He received enough love to last a lifetime, but he died as a result of his three-month premature birth.
Brianna had caught a blood infection, and with doctors fearing it would be passed on to the baby, they were obliged to deliver tiny Kyden an emergency C-section.
Brianna revealed in an interview with Femail – as reported by the Daily Mail -: “Those 12 days I was able to spend with my baby boy Kyden, holding him, counting his toes and fingers, and talking to him as if he were in my tummy. They were simply extraordinary; they were the best 12 days of my life!”
“It’s been very hard, long, exhausting, and painful,” she said. “Even though Kyden is no longer with us he gave me the strength to go on and beat this.
“I want to overcome this terrible disease. “I believe I can do it, and I promised my son.”
At first, it genuinely seemed as though Brianna was getting better.
Her blood levels had begun to rise and she was working herself to the max in a bid to get her leg muscles to work once more.
Sadly, things took another turn for the terrible. Her condition steadily began to deteriorate, forcing doctors to cancel the bone marrow transplant they had scheduled for her to receive from her brother.
Instead, they introduced her to a trial drug they hoped would give her a better chance at survival.
Despite the treatment costing an eye-watering $3,000 a week, her family were able to raise the necessary funds so she could begin a consistent course.
They managed just two rounds of the drug before the cancer took her life.
19-year-old Brianna Rawlings lost her fight with leukemia on Dec. 29, 2018 – but she fought and eventually passed with a brave dignity few of us can ever hope to match.
Such amazing testimony of the deepest love someone can have.
Our thoughts and prayers go out to Brianna Rawlings’ family. I think she is a fantastic person. She tried hard for her baby.
Share this post if you’re standing up in the fight against cancer and wants to show awareness.
Together, we can hopefully defeat this awful disease!