Mother’s Day is this weekend, and for some moms, it’s a moment to reflect on their journey of becoming a parent.
A South Florida woman is celebrating her first Mother’s Day after cancer left her fighting for her life and wondering if she’d ever give life.
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WATCH HEREStephanie Masterson is a pediatric nurse at Nicklaus Children’s Hospital. Nearly four years ago, she started to feel pain under her arm.
“I thought carrying the trays, pushing the cribs, pushing the stretchers... you know, there was something that was triggering this pain that I had. But unfortunately, that pain was breast cancer,” Masterson told NBC6.
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The pain was likely because the breast cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and liver. Masterson was 28 years old.
Doctors say they are seeing more cases like hers — younger women being diagnosed with breast cancer. The American Cancer Society reports the rate in women under 50 has risen by about 1% each year over the last two decades.
Before even starting treatment, Masterson's breast surgeon at Baptist Health urged her to think about future family plans — and how to preserve her fertility through treatment.
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“So, I feel like, typically, when you are newly diagnosed with breast cancer, it's very uncommon for patients to think about fertility treatment, because you are just newly diagnosed, and you get hit basically with a curveball. And there's so many steps that go into, like, what you're going to do next,” Masterson said.
What happened next was a slew of medications for fertility treatment, followed by chemotherapy, surgery on her breasts and liver, and radiation.
“And at one point, I was fighting for my life, not knowing if I'd ever hold a life of my own in my arms,” Masterson reflected. “This past year, through the extraordinary gifts of surrogacy, we were able to welcome our beautiful daughter, Julia Rose, and she's nine months. And I tell everyone, my hands are full — but so is my heart”, she continued.
This Mother’s Day, Masterson reflects on the journey through cancer, surrogacy, and now motherhood, watching her daughter’s milestones mirror the resilience that carried them both here.
