Teachers in Western Australia are reminding all women to check their breasts for abnormalities after being diagnosed with shock after seeing unusual symptoms during their third pregnancy.
Kate Grainger was just weeks away from giving birth to her third child when she noticed her first breast milk had a discolored pinkish hue.
The 31-year-old, who had two children under the age of three at the time, dismissed the billboard, thinking it had something to do with her pregnancy. 7 News Life report.
Grainger and her husband, Joel, 35, continued to prepare for their third child. To do so, he traveled 870 miles southwest of his home in the area to reach the medical facility.
At about 35 weeks and soon to be a mother of three, she visited a Bunbury-based obstetrician who said her colostrum, normally creamy in color, had an unusual color.
The expectant mother was immediately told to have a breast ultrasound, which returned the life-changing news of a walnut-sized lump in one of Grainger’s breasts.
The scan also revealed swollen lymph nodes and ductal dilatation throughout the affected breast, and the mother subsequently underwent numerous biopsies and scans to determine her health status.
Two weeks later, she was diagnosed with a rare grade 3 triple-negative breast cancer. This is a cancer in which none of her three receptors commonly found on breast cancer cells are present.
“About 15% of early breast cancers are triple negative,” Breast Cancer Network Australia says on its website.
Breastcancer.org says that although they are usually very responsive to chemotherapy, tumors can grow faster and become more aggressive.
The news devastated the couple, and Grainger told 7 News Life how upset she was and wanted a sedative.
Eventually, her parents mustered up the courage to tell them the life-shattering news, and Grainger shared her diagnosis on Facebook.
“I am currently 37 weeks pregnant with our little baby,” she said below the post explaining that she has a life update.
“What should have been a peaceful time for the upcoming birth suddenly changed.”
Grainger explained her diagnosis and revealed that the cancer had spread aggressively to one lymph node.
“We are meeting with a team of experts … to learn more and make plans to get the babs here safely and have a full picture of what is going on,” she said. .
She ended the post with the message, “Check your breasts.”
A few days after the diagnosis, Ms. Grainger was scheduled to give birth by caesarean section or caesarean section. She welcomed her son Heath on February 25th.
The next week, Grainger’s husband drove her between the maternity and cancer wards for further tests and scans, Holly Smith, a friend of the couple, said. GoFundMe page set for family.
In the first week of March, Ms. Grainger received her first round of chemotherapy for 12 weeks. She will also have to have a double mastectomy and may have chemotherapy in the coming months.
The mother of three children said on March 8 that she decided to donate after cutting her long blonde hair into a bob, saying, “In a few weeks it will all be gone.”
“Over the past few years, I’ve donated my hair several times to make wigs for people with cancer and alopecia,” she said in a Facebook post.
“Today was my last donation for a while.”
On March 23, Smith posted an update to the family’s GoFundMe page, sharing that the Grainger family had secured short-term accommodation, noting that they are still 870 miles away from the Newman home. Did.
“Chemo is a little average, but taking it daily with minimal side effects is an absolute win. I have,” she said.
“Baby Heath is doing well, but she’s just having a stomach ache until she gets used to the formula. It’s still weird not to breastfeed Kate.”
This update added Grainger’s quote: But Heath is now 3.5kg bigger!”
As for the couple’s other two children, 2-year-old Iris and 3-year-old Leo, Smith said the kids are “doing everything at their own pace.”
“We all know Leo loves his routine, so he’s adapted very well to the big changes over the last month. I’m here!
While Grainger continues to receive treatment, Smith encourages everyone to help a friend’s family leave home and rebuild their lives in the next year.
“The Grainger family has been inundated with love messages and offers of help, but being based in Newman presents many logistical challenges,” Smith said.
“We are launching this GoFundMe to help cover the ongoing costs of accommodation, flights, food and care as Kate undergoes vigorous treatment in the coming months.”
The family is $1,330 away from reaching its goal of $46,543 and 804 have already donated.
Grainger said he appreciates everyone’s donations and messages of support.
“Check your boobs and keep kissing your baby,” read her latest Facebook post.
