Young mum's shock - 'MY UNBORN BABY SAVED MY LIFE'

Abi hopes battling chemo and morning sickness will all be worth it

- Kasia Jillings

First-time mum Abi Johnston was overwhelmed with joy at her 20-week scan to learn she was expecting a daughter. But just six weeks later, it would be a very different story when an ultrasound revealed suspicious lumps, followed by a shock diagnosis of stage three triple-positive breast cancer.

Instead of excitedly preparing for life as a mum, the 27-year-old radiographer is now undergoing chemotherapy during her third trimester and will continue treatment just days after giving birth.

“The excitement of our baby coming and thinking about the cuddles is definitely helping us get through,” says Abi, who initially assumed the unexpected changes to her breasts were related to pregnancy.

“It just felt like thickened tissue to begin with. It was a bit strange, but I googled ‘pregnancy changes’ and thought it could be a cyst or a blocked milk duct.”

Sharing her story with the Weekly ahead of Breast Cancer Foundation NZ’s Pink Ribbon Breakfast on May 25, Abi encourages others not to waste any time if they notice any variations.

“I was embarrassed to go to the doctor, thinking if it’s nothing and just pregnancy-related, I’m wasting their time,” recalls Abi, who self-monitored for several weeks before seeing her GP. “I was also scared in case it was something serious.”