Teen mum refuses cancer treatment so she can give birth to baby boy

A teenager fighting aggressive bone cancer makes the brave decision keep the baby and delay cancer treatment so he can grow up healthy.

17-year-old from New Zealand, Rhianna Truman, is head over heels for her 4-month-old baby boy, Daeshaun – who she describes as her chance ‘to make something good out of my life.’

Sadly, Rhianna’s health means she will unlikely get to see her boy grow up.

In 2012, Rhianna was diagnosed with a rare bone cancer called adamantinoma. The cancer was in her leg, and treatment was aggressive. Rhianna had surgery to remove the affected bone and lived for several years believing herself to be cancer-free.

Tragically in 2015, she was told that the cancer had reappeared in her lungs. She also discovered that she was pregnant.

There was a treatment that might delay the progression of the cancer – but it could hurt her baby so she turned it down. The young mum bravely opted instead to give her boy the best chance at a healthy life.

‘When I found out I had cancer I was scared,’ Rhianna told Stuff.

‘But when I found out I was pregnant, I was like, ‘this is my reason, this is my chance to make something good out of my life, and be a proud mother, and for him to eventually be proud of me’.’

Rhianna says there are no options for treatment.

‘My doctor just said to live my life, and make my bucket list and do it now, while I have the chance to spend time with my son,’ she said.