Jessica first noticed a dent in one of her breasts, but doctors told her it was benign. When she became pregnant with her fourth child, she asked her OB/GYN about the dent and learned it was Stage 4 terminal breast cancer.
Jessica was pressured to have an abortion but adamantly refused. She said, "[Abortion] was not necessary at all. My prognosis didn’t change. My treatment plan did not change — pregnant or not pregnant.”
And she acknowledged: “Many people are not aware chemotherapy can be actually quite safe during pregnancy. I chose the middle road that I would do some chemotherapy with some modifications.”
Jessica was a faith-filled Catholic and gained inspiration from Saint Gianna Molla, who also had a terminal illness while pregnant and refused abortion.
Convicted that God was present in her suffering, Jessica created an Instagram account to share updates about her health and become surrounded by a prayerful community. The account gained over 50,000 followers.
While she did receive clear scans after giving birth, her cancer came back.
After her death just a few weeks ago, Jessica’s husband posted on the Instagram account, saying: “On Saturday she was very peaceful and surrounded by her loving family, she breathed her last. The cancer was just too aggressive. She suffered joyfully, and without fear in her last days. Please keep our family in your prayers.”
Jessica saw the inherent value in her preborn child while navigating pregnancy with an illness. Her example of embracing life is a beautiful antidote to the prevalence of lies and selfishness seen in today’s culture.
Join me in sharing her story and praying for her husband and children.
For Life,
Kimberly Bird
VP of External Relations
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