A mum who found out she was pregnant hours before life-saving surgery has revealed her harrowing battle with cancer three times – even having to choose between her life and her baby’s.
When Danielle Emery started suffering with a sore throat, she assumed it was down to a simple cold.
As her condition worsened and she was left straining her voice, she visited the doctor, who initially gave a diagnosis of laryngitis, before confirming that this was, in fact, laryngeal cancer.
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Utterly terrified about the future, the 39-year-old carer was given hope when emergency surgery was planned to tackle the disease.
But then, Danielle was given another shock diagnosis – she was 11 weeks pregnant – and she was left having to choose between her life or that of her future child.
“There was a 99% chance I would miscarry as I was quite early on in my pregnancy,” the mum, from Reading, told Need To Know.
“It was explained how important the operation was to save my life.
“I had only a few minutes to make the most difficult decision I’ve ever had to make – but without me, there would be no baby anyway.
“I went ahead and fortunately, it was successful at removing all the cancer.
“And my baby was fine, too.”
Danielle received her aforementioned cancer diagnosis in April 2019.
During the ordeal, her period was late, but she assumed this was due to stress.
She and her partner, Tony, 39, hadn’t been actively trying for a baby and although overjoyed, there was a lot of uncertainty.
Sadly, at six months pregnant, the cancer returned.
She said: “I wasn’t worried about myself anymore, but I was petrified about the safety of my baby.
“I cried when I heard that it had come back, as it wasn’t the news I wanted to hear.
“I feared it had spread further in my throat, but luckily it had just come back on the left vocal cord again.
“I was very scared that going under anaesthetic again would harm my baby and I’d risk never being a mum.
“Being pregnant made me strong, though, and determined to fight the disease.
“I had to have more surgery, such as laser removal, which aimed to remove the cancer permanently.
“Luckily, my baby’s heartbeat was strong and once again, I was given the all-clear.”
The family, who thought they were out of the woods, welcomed little Callum, now four.
Focusing on being new parents, and soaking up each minute, life was finally looking up.
Until June 2020, when Danielle’s cancer returned again; for the third time.
She said: “I was devastated, as I was enjoying being a mum to my miracle baby.
“I kept thinking: ‘why me? why is life so cruel to me?’
“I thought I was finally getting my life back on track, but cancer was ruining it.
“My biggest fear was my little boy never hearing his mum’s voice and I couldn’t look to the future, as I didn’t know what it would hold for me.”
As doctors feared it would continue returning, the decision to remove her vocal chord was made.
Danielle faced a risk of never being able to speak again, but luckily, her voice retuned within hours.
Now, she’s been officially cancer-free for three years and has since run the Race For Life for Cancer Research UK, as well as welcomed her second child; Sienna-Rose, one.
The mum added: “I’m sharing my story so others who have worrying symptoms will seek advice, get checked and won’t leave it until it’s too late.
“Cancer kills, you lose loved ones like I have and I’m very lucky to be a survivor.
“I’m grateful for life and extremely happy to have two beautiful and healthy children.”
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