An Australian mother-of-seven who tragically found out she had advanced breast cancer while 32 weeks pregnant has created a bucket list so she can enjoy as much time with her children as possible.
In 2017, Alisha, 29, noticed a lump on her nipple that was initially diagnosed as an abscess caused by a bacterial infection – but it grew back.
When she went back to the doctor she was put on multiple rounds of antibiotics but when she fell pregnant with a baby she had been waiting a long time for, she asked to stop taking the antibiotics to look after her unborn child’s health.
Mother-of-seven, Alisha, 29, found out she had stage three breast cancer when she was 32 weeks pregnant and now she has created a bucket list so she can enjoy her last moments
The lump was growing at record speed and as she wasn’t on any antibiotics she underwent a biopsy.
This took place on December 19 and by December 21, four days before Christmas, Alisha was devastated to be told that the lump she’d had for more than 18 months was breast cancer.
Alisha had to handle this news with a surge of pregnancy hormones and six kids all under the age of 11.
At the forefront of her mind was keeping her latest addition to the family as safe and healthy as possible.
According to the GoFundMe her friends have set up for her, both Alisha and her partner Metin, have three kids each and formed a large family together.
Four days before Christmas, Alisha was tragically told that the lump she’d had for more than 18 months was breast cancer
Alisha had to handle this news with a surge of pregnancy hormones and six kids all under the age of 11
Metin was a single dad with three girls and Alisha was a single mum with two boys and one girl.
After being together for four years they decided they wanted a child together but it wasn’t easy. They were faced with countless attempts to get pregnant and tests indicated infertility.
Although they were heartbroken during this time they carried on and finally after months of trying they found out Alisha was pregnant.
‘It wasn’t smooth sailing. There was complication after complication with the pregnancy and always fear that the baby wouldn’t make it,’ friends said.
‘She became a priority at the hospital undergoing continuous monitoring. The pregnancy began to stabilise at around 26 weeks and she was now enjoying this precious moment. She was happy.’
According to the GoFundMe both Alisha and her partner, Metin, come from broken relationships baring three kids each
It was at this moment Alisha noticed something unusual on her breast and her whole world came crashing down.
After being diagnosed with cancer Alisha and Metin decided to sit their children down and have a conversation with them.
‘I told them that mummy had gone to the doctor, and they did a test, and it’s come back that mummy has cancer,’ she told Mamamia.
The year before, Alisha’s three children had lost their grandmother to cancer so they asked if she was going to die, just like her.
Although she told them she didn’t know, she did warn them that she’d lose her hair and although she would be sick, the medicine would hopefully make her better.
The delivery had to be moved forward because chemotherapy had to start as soon as possible.
At 33 weeks Alisha underwent a mastectomy with every precaution to keep the baby safe.
‘Beautiful baby Isaac was born on February 8 2019. With the challenges of six kids, now seven, raising a new born and trying to manage your health, you would think that would be enough,’ the GoFundMe says
She had two weeks to heal from that and then had to go back under the knife for a ceasarean at 35 weeks for the birth of her boy chemotherapy would begin three weeks after.
‘Beautiful baby Isaac was born on February 8 2019. With the challenges of six kids, now seven, raising a new born and trying to manage your health, you would think that would be enough,’ the GoFundMe says.
I definitely won’t be here to see Isaac blowing out his candles on his 18th birthday. My family are what I live and breathe for, that’s all that really hurts me.
‘Alisha has now been hit with more bad news. The cancer is now stage four and has become metastatic and spread to her liver. Basically it’s the end of the line and 90 per cent of metastatic cancers end in death.
‘Doctors don’t have definitive answers as to how long she has left but the goal now is to prolong her life with ongoing treatment.’
Sadly Alisha may only have 12 months left or she may have six years, it’s unclear, but either way her life has been cut short.
Now Alisha finds it difficult to plan for the future as she doesn’t know how long she will have.
‘I definitely won’t be here to see Isaac blowing out his candles on his 18th birthday. My family are what I live and breathe for, that’s all that really hurts me,’ she told Mamamia.
‘You can’t sit there and say I’m going to travel in 10 years. What if I’m not here? I never got to do that with my kids.’
Alisha has written a bucket list of all of the things she wants to do with her family while she can, some being simple things we often take for granted.
You can donate to Alisha and her family and help her live out her dreams on her GoFundMe.