Third Strand Baby Nathaniel
“In July of 2018, I was 36 years old and I was diagnosed with Stage 3C triple negative breast cancer. It was a devastating diagnosis, and I was terrified. This particular cancer was very aggressive and treatment options were more limited than with other types of breast cancer. At that time, I was a single mom to a 3-year-old boy and I had my own solo law practice. My life turned upside down as tests, doctor’s appointments, and treatments quickly dominated my life. I had to stop working, and either my boyfriend at the time or one of my parents stayed in my guest bedroom nearly every night to help with my son. All tolled, I went through two and a half years of chemotherapy, radiation, surgeries, and a clinical trial for immunotherapy. One of those surgeries was a double mastectomy.
Going through cancer was very challenging, to say the least, but there were blessings as well. I married my then-boyfriend while I was going through chemo, and he has been a constant source of love and support in my life and my son’s. He brought two sons with him, so I become a stepmom. Additionally, I found myself praying more, and my faith was strengthened in the process. I also found myself the recipient of so much love and generosity from my family, friends, and community.
Now I find myself the beneficiary of wonderful support and generosity again through the blessing of Third Strand. Against all odds, my husband and I are expecting a baby in early October, which is very exciting! I will not be able to breast feed this baby, though, which has made me sad as that was a bonding experience I had with my first baby. I am so grateful, though, that my baby will be able to benefit from donor breast milk through Third Strand. This is a gift that means so much to me and to my family. Our sweet baby will get the best start possible with donor milk, and we could not be more thankful. It is overwhelming to think about how incredibly lucky and blessed I am – to have survived, to be healthy, to be able to have another baby, and now to be able to feed him or her with donor milk. THANK YOU!”
