MOTHER'S DAY JOY: Mom beats Stage 3 cancer while pregnant, welcomes healthy daughter

In an incredible nod to the sanctity of life and medical ingenuity, Mia Pruzin of Shaker Heights, Ohio, triumphed over Stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma while pregnant, delivering her baby girl Vivienne at 36 weeks and achieving full remission. Now, she is joyfully celebrating her first Mother's Day as a cancer-free mom. 

Key Takeaways:

• Mia Pruzin was diagnosed with Hodgkin's lymphoma while she was pregnant.

• A team of specialists worked together to treat Pruzin while also keeping her preborn baby safe.

• She has since safely delivered her daughter, Vivienne, and the cancer is in remission.

The Details:

In the 20th week of Mia Pruzin's pregnancy, a golf ball-sized lump surfaced on the side of her neck just above her collarbone, sparking instant attention from her medical team at University Hospitals. Doctors eventually determined that Mia had contracted Stage 3 Hodgkin's lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer that required a prompt response to safeguard the lives of both Pruzin and her preborn baby. 

“I found out that I had Stage 3 Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. So I had cancer in both sides of my neck, I had a 5-inch mass in my mediastinum. I had some activity in my abdomen too,” Pruzin said. 

Her husband, Scott, added, “Two people that I care deeply about and they’re gonna go through this very hard thing. The uncertainty was very tough.”

A coordinated team of specialists — including oncologists, maternal-fetal medicine experts, and cardio-oncologists — united to safeguard both Pruzin and her preborn child throughout the ordeal.

One month after her diagnosis, Pruzin started chemotherapy while continuing her pregnancy.

Associate Chief of Cardiology Dr. Michael Zacharias said, “She didn’t have the luxury of waiting for treatment. During this time, we closely watched her heart. Thankfully, she was able to remain on treatment without requiring an intervention or even, for example, holding her medications.” 

He also pointed out that the life-saving therapy came with considerable potential dangers. “Cancer doesn’t forgive and so it can pop up at any point," he explained. "However, the technology in both medical and device therapies have obviously surpassed anyone’s expectations at this point, allowing things like Mia’s story to happen." 

At 36 weeks, Vivienne entered the world, yet Pruzin's battle was far from finished. At three weeks postpartum, she restarted chemotherapy, though she reached a noteworthy milestone in January.

Cradling her daughter, Mia sounded the victory bell, now totally in remission.

This Mother's Day, Pruzin's first, honors her unflinching persistence in battling cancer, as well as her treasured baby girl. 

The Big Picture:

The confidence, courage, and cooperation of Pruzin’s doctors showcase the reality that safeguarding the lives of both mother and preborn baby is possible in the field of medical science, contesting pro-abortion narratives that pit maternal health against preborn lives.

Stories like Pruzin’s undermine the pressure to opt for abortion in cancer diagnoses, but instead, prove that life-affirming alternatives that honor both patients are possible. 

For instance, medical research reinforces that systemic therapy for Hodgkin's lymphoma after the first trimester gives rise to promising maternal and fetal results, with no major malformations and 5-year overall survival rates of 82.4%. Additionally, chemotherapy in the second and third trimesters enhances maternal progression-free survival near 75%, with mothers still able to deliver healthy babies in most cases. ABVD regimens, standard for early-stage disease, also display favorable outcomes.

“Systemic therapy given for lymphoma after the first trimester of pregnancy is likely safe and results in acceptable maternal and fetal outcomes," a 2020 study from PubMed revealed. "Diagnoses of cancer occur in roughly 1 of 1000 pregnancies. Emerging reports suggest that standard chemotherapy administered during the second and third trimesters results in acceptable maternal and fetal outcomes.” 

The Bottom Line:

In an era where many pro-abortion advocates are attempting to impose anti-life ideologies on medical science and vulnerable pregnant mothers, the story of Mia Pruzin and her baby epitomizes the beauty of undying hope in face of discouragement and adversity.

This case reminds us that every child is a precious gift worth fighting for, and every mother deserves quality care that honors the dignity of every life. As Pruzin celebrates her inaugural Mother's Day, her encounter will hopefully encourage families to champion pro-life protocols in medicine both nationwide and around the world.

After all, true medicine is completely pro-life, honoring the lives of mothers and their children.