Ottawa woman diagnosed with breast cancer during pregnancy

Cancer is a life-changing event, no matter the situation, but to be diagnosed during pregnancy only adds to the complexity of available treatments, and difficult choices that must be made.

Two young boys keep Kristin Wilson on her toes.

Two-year-old Kenton and his nearly nine-month-old baby brother, Lennox.

"It’s very busy but it’s fun,” says Wilson. “My kids are what bring the joy in the every day and I love being a mom.”

Wilson also has a 13-year-old stepson, who’s busy at school, while her partner, Matt, is busy at work.

• The information you need to know, sent directly to you: Download the CTV News App
• Sign up now for our nightly CTV News Ottawa newsletter

All precious gifts, which Wilson never takes for granted because not long ago two lives were on the line.

"In March of 2022, when Kenton turned about one year, I stopped breast-feeding then I noticed a lump in my breast," Wilson says. "I was in the shower and it was kind of right under my armpit. I just played it off as the hormones from stopping the breast feeding. Then in June, I became pregnant with Lennox and I noticed that the lump was still there so I called the doctor."

Wilson received two ultrasounds, one for the baby-to-be and another for the lump, which was discovered to be a relatively small, complicated cyst. A biopsy followed and the results were not ideal.

"I was diagnosed with Stage 1 invasive ductal carcinoma so that was quite the scare because I was already 13 weeks pregnant," Wilson says. "There was a lot of ups and downs and there was talk of termination of the pregnancy and what my next treatment would be."

"I was creating life while there were cells in my body that we’re trying to destroy mine."

Wilson says the cancer was considered aggressive; a mastectomy of her right breast was required, followed by months of chemotherapy.

"That was probably the hardest part of the diagnosis the day that I saw his first ultrasound and then was given all these options," she says. "In that first ultrasound he was flipping away and Matt and I knew that, OK, we’ll do everything we can to make sure he will be OK too."

After extensive research and speaking to doctors and specialists, Wilson had reassurance little Lennox would be unharmed.

"I just remember not sleeping the night before my fist infusion and it all happened really fast," she says. "I pretty much bawled my eyes out the entire first round."

But Wilson’s friends and family, including her three siblings, Lyndsay and Jessica and Jake, were by her side. 

"She’s the strongest person I know and she’s the one that is always making people laugh," Jessica Wilson, Kristin's sister, says. "You never want to see someone who is so brave and courageous go through something like that and I don’t think she let her courage waver. At least to us, to our family members, she tried to keep a brave face on. I knew she was strong but I didn’t want that strength to be tested but she came out of it on the other side."

"I just knew that what I was doing was going to be OK for both of us."

For Wilson’s final chemotherapy treatment, her sister Lyndsay, took her to the hospital and was by her side.

"We laughed the whole time," she says. "I just knew that what I was doing was going to be OK for both of us."

And Wilson wouldn’t have to wait long to find out. After returning home from her final chemotherapy session, she would quickly turn around and head back the hospital, this time in labour.

"He decided to come the next day. He came at 7:10 p.m. and January 21."

While little 'Lenny' was a touch premature, he was healthy, like his mother, who shares her story with the purpose of providing an important message, "check your breasts."

“Do those checks, in the shower once a month just check them out and if there is changes bring it up to your doctor and advocate for yourself," Wilson says. "Because at my age of 31 years-old when I was diagnosed, you don’t get the traditional screening."

According the Canadian Cancer Society, breast cancer is the most diagnosed cancer in Canadian women and is the second leading cause of death from cancer. 

However, research shows, the median age of a breast cancer diagnosis is 63.

“It does haunt me that the cancer could come back. It’s a very hard thing for me to digest but I do what I can to reduce my risk of that," Wilson says. "I feel like that’s one aspect of cancer that’s changed me. I’m just so grateful for every moment with both of these two (Kenton and Lennox) and my stepson and my partner.”