I have a very good friend who happens to be a doctor. Several years ago, she was pregnant with her daughter when her doctor discovered she had breast cancer. Her options weren’t very promising. She could either carry the baby to full term and risk both their lives, leaving her husband to care for their son, or she could deliver early and have the cancer taken care of.

My friend really wanted to carry full term and breastfeed her baby, but she decided that choice would be more out of vanity.

She opted to deliver early for her son and her husband. Her daughter was delivered at 35 weeks gestation and was placed in the hospital’s NICU. One of the country’s best, but still not good enough. My friend’s daughter died in the NICU before she really got to know her at all. She was just a few weeks old.

In addition to this heart-wrenching experience with her daughter, my friend was also facing major surgery: her cancer was in both breasts and was in danger of spreading. She ended up with a bilateral mastectomy; she lost both breasts to cancer. She now wears prosthetic breasts, but she is cancer-free and able to continue her practice and take care of her son and husband.

This lady is special to me because she is a great friend as well as a great doctor. She took care of me medically for over 8 years and delivered two of my four children. She was there for me when I had a nervous breakdown over my third child’s admittance to the NICU. She’s been there through my mood and emotional problems.

I’m glad she’s here; there are many other men and women she continues to help because she chose to have her cancer removed.

—Melissa