Pregnant friend diagnosed with breast and spinal cancer

She's 31 weeks pregnant and will be having a c-section tomorrow, after that she'll be in recovery but the plan is to start radiotherapy because the cancer at the top of her spine is in a dangerous position so I think they want to tackle that as fast as possible. She was only given the diagnosis late Saturday evening so we don't really know a lot at the moment. I know they've said that it's inoperable but I don't know why. I know she has three large tumours at the top part of her spine, below the neck, but that the rest of her spine has lots of other smaller masses. I know that the cancer fractured her arm a few weeks ago because it made the bone brittle, she lifted a kettle to make a cup of tea and it broke the bone. I know it's in her right breast and that they're said that is also inoperable. What I don't know I could fill an encyclopaedia with. She's very brave and pragmatic and I know that she's terrified but she's realistic about what's to come now. I feel so lost, I wish I knew more and the waiting to find out if this thing is going kill her next week, next year or a decade from now is overwhelming. Is there any guidance anyone could give me with the limited information I've provided? I know it isn't a lot, things are on pause because of the pregnancy. They don't know if it's spread to her organs yet but they're confident it isn't in her lungs. I don't know what type of cancer it is. 

Parents
  • Hi 

    I'm really sorry to hear of your dear friends cancer. It's a tragedy. Difficult to know what's going on without a diagnosis and not knowing is what all of us have to go through at the beginning.

    Regardless of where the primary cancer started and how far it's spread, your friend will be supported by specialists, who will know what to say and when to say it. I guess as a friend your job is to do just that, ask what you can do, be there when she needs you, laugh/cry with her and focus on her living now rather than her possible death.

    She is lucky to have a good friend x

Reply
  • Hi 

    I'm really sorry to hear of your dear friends cancer. It's a tragedy. Difficult to know what's going on without a diagnosis and not knowing is what all of us have to go through at the beginning.

    Regardless of where the primary cancer started and how far it's spread, your friend will be supported by specialists, who will know what to say and when to say it. I guess as a friend your job is to do just that, ask what you can do, be there when she needs you, laugh/cry with her and focus on her living now rather than her possible death.

    She is lucky to have a good friend x

Children