Desperate cancer suffering mother reveals how tumour fed off unborn baby - Irish Mirror

Clare Smith, 28, ignored doctors who pleaded with her to not try and get pregnant, and when she did, her tumour used up the nourishment meant for her baby

Matthew Pover

Story: Clare Smith and her daughter, who she named Story, because she has one to tell her

A woman desperate to be a mum even though she had cancer was horrified when her pregnancy caused her tumour to ­swell - using up ­nourishment meant for her baby.

Medics told Clare Smith her dream of motherhood might be lethal because the cancerous growth could suffocate her.

But defiant Clare, 28, went ahead anyway.

And within weeks she was screaming in ­agony as the tumour ­ballooned rapidly, feeding on ­hormones ­produced by her pregnancy.

The growth in her upper arm was so fast that docs feared it would reach her throat and ­throttle her. They warned they might have to amputate the limb. Clare eventually gave birth to a healthy daughter, who she called Story.

And as she cuddled her child, she told the Sunday People: 'It all seems worthwhile now - though I realise what a massive risk I took.'

Clare first discovered the tumour six years ago after a stranger in a pub ­remarked on a bulge in her left arm - and she went for a scan.

Tests found an aggressive ­fibromatosis, a soft-tissue cancerous growth that affects no more than four people in a million.

In February 2009 she had an operation to remove the tumour but was warned there was a 70% chance it would recur.

Matthew Pover

Tumour: Clare's arm before undergoing treatment

While recuperating at home in Wigan Clare met digital artist Ste Smith, 30, and seven months later he proposed.

But their happiness was rocked when a new scan revealed the tumour was back - and growing faster than before.

Doctors pleaded with office temp Clare not to try for a baby.

She said: 'They warned the tumour would feed off my pregnancy hormones, so getting pregnant could kill me.'

But Clare was desperate to start a family and ignored the warning.

Surgeons urged her to wait for a year so they could monitor the tumour without having to use chemotherapy.

But after seven months Clare found she was expecting.

At first the pregnancy was trouble-free. But at 18 weeks her hormones surged and the tumour took hold, growing up her arm towards her throat and spine.

Clare said: 'My arm swelled up so huge I looked like Popeye. Excruciating pains ­thundered down my arm and I'd scream and collapse in agony.

'It felt like someone stabbing me with a million knives.

'Five times a night for five months I'd be woken up by pain so terrible I wanted to hack my arm off.

'I refused pain-relief, to protect the baby, but as the tumour inched towards my shoulder I felt suicidal.

'At 38 weeks I begged for a caesarean. I couldn't have taken another day.' On April 21, 2011 doctors ­delivered her daughter.

Matthew Pover

New mum: Clare pictured shortly after giving birth to Story

Clare said: 'We called her Story because we sure had one to tell her when she got older.'

Three weeks later Clare had to return to hospital for chemo.

But she said doctors told her the ­tumour was too big to be treated and warned her she could lose her arm.

She got a second opinion at Manchester's renowned cancer hospital The Christie.

They gave her medication to cut her hormone levels and also urged the 5ft 4in mum to lose weight because she had shot up to 16 stone. Clare immediately went on a gruelling diet and lost 5st 7lbs so she could have the cancerous growth bombarded with radiation.

She said: 'There is no cure for my tumour but to the amazement of the doctors we've managed to shrink it to half its size and get it dormant.

'After what I've been through, I hope it never wakes up.'

Clare added: 'We'd love another baby but I can't risk my life again.

'Last time I didn't have any children to think about. But I have Story now.'

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