CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- The women who were nominated for Walmart\u2019s Canadian \u201cMom of the Year\u201d contest have many outstanding qualities, but few can claim they fought off breast cancer and gave birth to their seventh child at the same time.<\/p>\n\t\u201cWe knew right from the beginning that God wouldn't give us this life and then ask us to take it,\u201d Maria Pitman told CNA July 10, explaining that the doctor wanted her to abort her child.<\/p>\n
\tPitman, a Canadian homeschooling mother of seven, was diagnosed with breast cancer early on in her most recent pregnancy.<\/p>\n
\tMedically, the doctor said it \u201cmade sense\u201d because it would make testing and treatment easier than if she were carrying a child.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cWe came home that day knowing we couldn't make that decision, and that God wouldn't be asking us to do that,\u201d Pitman said.<\/p>\n
\tDoctors continued to encourage Pitman to have an abortion, even up until the day before she underwent a\u00a0full mastectomy 20 weeks into her pregnancy.<\/p>\n
\tThe day of surgery, however, the doctors stopped asking Pitman if she wanted to abort, because \u201cthey realized we were not about to change our minds.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tDuring that time, Pitman and her husband Jeff learned that, after one daughter and five boys in a row, they were having another girl.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cThose were the only tears I cried that day; in joy that it was a girl,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\tAfter the mastectomy, Pitman endured three rounds of chemotherapy, in between which she delivered her daughter Johannah at 36 weeks.<\/p>\n
\tWeighing in at seven pounds and\u00a0four ounces, \u201cshe came out perfectly healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tPitman faced one of her hardest trials when, after Johannah's birth, she and her family had to travel three hours from their home in Yarmouth to Halifax for six weeks of radiation therapy while still homeschooling four of her children.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cI kind of figured things would be easier (since) I wasn't pregnant anymore,\u201d Pitman explained, \u201cbut things got so much worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tPitman said she would ask God just \u201cfor strength to get out of bed and spend some time with the kids.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tAnd God did support Pitman and her family, even during the toughest trial. \u201cThe Lord provided and orchestrated everything for us for the entire year,\u201d especially by bringing \u201call the right people into our lives at the right time,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\tPitman found particular strength in the scripture passage Matthew 21:21-22, which says in part, \u201c \u2026 but even if you say to this mountain, \u2018Be taken up and cast into the sea,\u2019 it will happen. And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
\t\u201cGod was able to move the 'cancer mountain' for our family,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\tAfter her battle with breast cancer, Pitman's 17 year-old daughter, Jocelyn, nominated her for Walmart's \u201cMom of the Year\u201d award, which is a \u201ccelebration of the 9.2 million Canadian Moms who work tirelessly every day to provide for their family.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tThe winner will receive $10,000 in cash and a $100,000 donation will be made to the charity of her choice. The top mom will also be honored with a \u201cday of pampering,\u201d a photo shoot and a \u201cspecial red carpet gala\u201d in Toronto.<\/p>\n
\tShould she win, Pitman will give her donation to Camp Peniel, a nearby Christian camp where her daughter Jocelyn works.<\/p>\n
\t\u201cThis camp is amazing and is doing a fabulous job of sharing Jesus Christ to so many each year,\u201d Pitman said.<\/p>\n
\tNominations closed July 8, but the judges will deliberate the 16,909 entries and announce a winner \u201caround August 15.\u201d<\/p>\n
\tStory corrected July 13, 2012\u00a0at 2:04 p.m.\u00a0MST. Original article incorrectly stated that Pitman had a double mastectomy. Pitman underwent a full mastectomy on one side.<\/em><\/p>\n\n
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