CHRISTIE DEVITT
Survivor Since:
December 2007
Home Town:
Lubbock
Age: 30
Occupation: District Manager for Junior Achievement, a Non-profit Organization
Family: Husband of 8 years, Brent Devitt; son Conner Sam, 2, and daughter Laney Grace, 3 months
Hobbies: Spending time with my young children and family; sharing our "healing journey" with others through speaking opportunities
"Today I am blessed beyond measure!"
'Let Our Lights Shine!'
On December 11, 2007, at the age of 29, I became the first woman in my family to ever be diagnosed with breast cancer. I was also 8 1/2 weeks pregnant with my second child at that time. Ten days later, I underwent a mastectomy of my right breast. Three short weeks later, as I safely entered my second trimester of pregnancy, I began chemotherapy. The day before my first chemo treatment we learned we were expecting a baby girl.
"Baby Girl," as we called her for so many months, battled breast cancer with me right up until her birth in June 2008. We followed a chemotherapy regimen that has proven to be safe for the baby and effective for the mother. A pregnant woman receiving chemo generated quite a bit of interest in the community! The most challenging task was explaining to others how the chemo was helping to heal my body but not harming our unborn daughter. The chemo regimen my medical oncologist chose for me consisted of drugs whose molecules were too large to cross the placenta and reach our baby. There were of course many other medical considerations and explanations, but Baby Girl and I endured six rounds of chemo during my second and third trimesters of pregnancy. Thanks to the power of prayer, I experienced very few side effects from chemotherapy. Our daughter was closely monitored and developed perfectly throughout my treatment.
Our family of three soon became a family of four! My husband, Brent, and our 2-year old son, Conner, welcomed Laney Grace into the world on June 20, 2008. She is a beautiful, healthy and happy baby. She was delivered a few weeks early so that I could begin the last step in my cancer treatment, radiation. Just five days after Laney's birth, I was finally able to undergo all of the scans that I previously could not due to my pregnancy. The scans revealed no evidence of cancer in my body! Since then, I have completed 28 radiation therapy treatments to reduce the risk of cancer ever developing in my body again. I continue to feel wonderful!
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