A mum has given birth to a ‘miracle’ baby despite hearing from doctors that her cancer would prevent her from conceiving.
In May 2020, Rhianna McKenna, 28, was treated for suspected tonsillitis symptoms that turned out to be signs of cancer. Days later, she was given the news that she had aggressive acute promyelocytic leukemia.
The nursery worker from Kent was told that, because of the devastating diagnosis, she would likely never be a mum.
“My heart broke instantly,” Rhianna recalled.
“I remember feeling scared and alone and my biggest fear was dying and leaving behind my partner and family.
“I also feared that I would never regain any eyesight and would be blind.
“I became angry at the world. Why me? Why us? I hated the word cancer and I couldn’t believe this was happening to me.
“I always knew that having chemotherapy could potentially affect our chances of having a child but when we were hit with the reality of it, our hearts broke.”
Rhianna and her husband Aidan, 27, had desperately hoped to become parents, but it all looked bleak for the couple.
Alongside the heartbreak, Rhianna was suffering from the ‘huge toll’ that chemotherapy took on her body.
“Of course, I had heard about cancer and how terrible it is, but I could never have imagined that I would be the one battling it”, she said.
“My physical health suffered greatly as a result; I needed assistance with even the most basic tasks like using the restroom, taking a few steps, or getting dressed.”
Unfortunately, given her circumstances, it was essential that Rhianna started chemotherapy straight away, meaning that she didn’t have time to freeze her eggs.
Rhianna eventually finished her therapy in January 2021, on her 27th birthday, and was told she was cancer-free.
With treatment behind her, she was finally able to focus on her recovery but most importantly, she was able to try for a baby.
Despite seriously low odds, Rhianna learned she was pregnant just 10 months later.
“Aidan and I pretty much started trying straight away, we thought we had nothing to lose.
“I became obsessed with tracking my ovulation and was taking a pregnancy test every day, praying for the two lines to come up.”
She continued: “Lo and behold, eight weeks later we found out we were three weeks pregnant and we hadn’t even been trying!”
The couple welcomed Olivia, their daughter, on July 8.
When Olivia was born, Rhianna exclaimed, “I was so overwhelmed but also full of love. I had never experienced love like it before until I first looked at her. She was just ideal.
“She was taken to special care the day after being born as she had jaundice and had to be in an incubator under the phototherapy lights.
“It was one of the hardest times of our lives – harder than fighting cancer – we felt so helpless.
“She spent two days there and then was allowed back into the ward with us and we could enjoy being a family properly.
“Olivia is now eight weeks old and is the most happiest, content little girl. “I’ve always looked for a reason as to why these things happen to people and I can’t help that think if my life had gone any differently, we may not have had our beautiful baby girl.”
