On November 2, at 23 weeks pregnant with her fourth child, Cara Combs was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma. Doctors advised the mom from St. Louis that her best shot was to have the baby immediately and begin cancer treatment — but they also noted that her baby would have a 90 percent greater chance of survival if she waited until 28 weeks to deliver. Cara made the hard choice to postpone her own treatment in order to give her baby a better chance at life, first posting news of her decision on Facebook on Nov. 13:
Six days later, Cara updated her Facebook page to outline the family’s progress: “The plan is to deliver the baby on December 7th at 28 weeks,” she wrote. “We are still unsure of which treatment I will undergo and are looking into traveling to Texas for the most advanced treatment there is.”
The baby was delivered at 28 weeks and is healthy. The mother died just a few days after giving birth.
This mom demonstrated what a real woman is — true, endless love. She gave her baby life, when she could’ve so easily taken it away. To support this family during their time of need, donate here.
Photo credit: Emily Lucarz
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