26-year-old Ashley Shaw is the mother of three children: six-year-old Dylan, four-year-old Declan, and newborn Layla.
When she’d been pregnant with Layla, Shaw was thrilled to be having a daughter and was even more excited that the pregnancy seemed to be going smoothly, unlike those of Dylan and Declan.
But when she hit the 32-week mark, complications arose.
Layla was no longer shifting inside her mother’s womb. When Shaw went into the hospital, her doctor gave her devastating news: her placenta had failed. Layla would die unless she was removed via C-section immediately.
Thankfully, despite being born eight weeks early, Layla “thrived.” After just ten days in the hospital, Layla was able to return home with her mom, where she continuously gained strength.
But as for Shaw, her health remained unsteady. Her periods continued to be incredibly irregular and she kept experiencing “sharp abdominal pain.”
For months, Shaw put up with these symptoms, thinking they were just lingering side effects of Layla’s pregnancy.
When she finally caved and returned to the hospital for tests, her doctor gave her the bleak diagnosis.
Shaw had developed cancer in the cells that attach the placenta to the womb. Layla’s pregnancy had introduced her to the risk of this cancer, and now, Shaw would have to undergo a full hysterectomy to be treated.
“Nothing could have prepared me for the news,” Shaw admitted. “I'd never even heard of this type of tumour, let alone thought that it would happen to me.
“I knew I had to have the surgery to survive, but I felt awful for [my new partner] Ryan. He'd barely been with me five minutes when already he was dealing with this.”
Shaw was scheduled to undergo surgery later that year. During the procedure, doctors accidentally cut one of her arteries and had to perform a second, emergency procedure in which they took an artery from her right leg to repair the damage.
“The surgery was absolutely horrendous,” Shaw said, but now, finally, she’s on her way to make a full recovery.
As Shaw continues to rest and get well at home with her family, she’s choosing to speak out about her experience, “Now I want to raise awareness for other mums, as this cancer is so rare. If I can inspire just one woman to keep nagging her doctor when she notices something isn't right, it will be worth it.”
