Mom diagnosed with cancer records birthday wishes to her newborn son

2016/08/15

Han Jing

Zhang Lijun, 26, from Shanghai, was diagnosed with advanced pancreatic cancer after she got married for only one year. She was then five months pregnant, ready for a new life.

It was definitely a big blow to her family.

Zhang learned the heartbreaking news when she underwent an antenatal examination. Doctors strongly advised that an induction of labor should be performed.

But after discussing with her family, Zhang made a shocking decision that she would deliver the baby before receiving further treatment on the cancer, which was highly risky in her condition.

“I’ve already enjoyed 26 years of my life,” Zhang said. “I can’t deprive my baby of the his/her chance.”

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Zhang suffered serious jaundice as a result of tumor compression when she was 28 weeks pregnant, because she couldn’t undergo any treatment.

Doctors finally decided to perform an Caesarean on her when she was 30 weeks pregnant, for the safety of the baby and the mum as well.

Her baby, nicknamed “Xiaolongbao,” was born in December 2015 at Ruijin Hospital, three months premature. The newborn boy weighed only a little over 1 kilogram and was transferred to the infant incubator as soon as he was born.

However, Zhang’s fight for pancreatic cancer had just begun. She suffered rare signet-ring cell carcinoma and had no chance for surgery as the cancer cells had already diffused all over the body. The palliative treatment was the only possible solution.

“I treat every day as my last day,” Zhang said.

Zhang’s eyesight deteriorated when Xiaolongbao was two months old. She then decided to record everything she wanted to say to her son when she could still see and hear.

Zhang has recorded birthday wishes to her son for the following 18 years in case she passed away all of a sudden. But her ultimate wish is to one day hear her baby call her “mama.”

Zhang has lost her hair and suffered nausea from time to time as a result of chemotherapy. Signs of cancer metastasis also showed up on her skins.

Zhang traveled to the United States this year with her husband as she didn’t want to end up in the hospital. On the journey, they tried to seek for better treatment as well.

Now they are back in China and Zhang is still sparing no effort to fight against the fatal cancer.

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Mom diagnosed with cancer records birthday wishes to her newborn son

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