I had choice of saving leg or unborn tot
AGONISING DECISION AS MUM IS TOLD OF CANCER
A MUM bravely chose to have her leg amputated to save her unborn baby.
An MRI scan revealed Kathleen Osborne, 28, had cancer but was also four months’ pregnant, leaving her with two options.
She would either have to abort her baby and start chemotherapy or have her leg amputated.
Mum-of-three Kathleen said: “I’m happy I made the decision to lose my leg because it gave me my daughter.
“I’d always wanted a little girl after having two boys, and they wanted a sister. I wouldn’t have her if I didn’t do it, so it’s all been worth it.” The heart-wrenching saga came during her third battle with cancer, having fought the disease in 2005 and again in 2016.
A routine check-up revealed it had returned but also showed a mysterious mass in her abdomen, which turned out to be a baby. Kathleen said: “That’s how I found out I was pregnant – I had no idea.
“The doctors said I could terminate my baby, have chemotherapy, have an operation and most likely lose my leg, or keep my baby and have my leg amputated straight away.
“I thought I’d rather choose to keep my baby and lose my leg. I was probably going to lose my leg anyway.
“I told the doctors the very next day. “There was no point in me having too long to think about it as it would scare me even more.” The amputation, in November last year, was
successful and eradicated the cancer Kathleen’s leg. But a later scan showed it had returned to her lungs and this time it was terminal.
She gave birth to her happy and healthy daughter, Aida-May, eight weeks early by caesarian on March 12.
Kathleen, from Wisbech, Cambs – who is also mum to Hayden, nine, and Leo, five – said: “My only focus now is making memories with my children.
“As long as they have as much fun with me as possible, over however long we’ve got, then I’m happy.”