10/23/2025
🌸 When the Heart and the Breast Collide:
A Mother’s Battle With Stage 3 Breast Cancer –
Today I met a mother whose story will stay with me. She is 29 years old, her baby just six months, and she came into our clinic with severe breast pain and a pus-forming infection, all while breastfeeding. The soft cooing of the infant and the hush of her worries formed a quiet but intense backdrop.
The diagnosis landed like a thunderbolt: stage III breast cancer.
In that moment, the clinical facts blurred into human reality. Yes – the mass, the lymph nodes, the PET imaging, the histopathology – but also the breast that nourished her child, and now may not. The mother who expected feedings and closeness, now facing separation and loss.
In my years of practice, I’ve seen many patients. Still, each case is unique. This one struck me because it intertwines the tender hopes of motherhood with the ruthless clarity of oncology.
She will battle not just tumour cells—but the heartbreak of leaving her baby’s feedings behind. The nourishment she offered, the warmth she shared, now overshadowed by tubes, chemo lines, scans, and the fear of recurrence. The emotional pain is layered: guilt (“Am I failing my baby?”), grief (“I may never feed again”), fear (“Will I be here for them?”), and helplessness (“What can I do?”).
We, the medical team, strive to remain composed. But some stories reach beyond textbooks, beyond protocols. They touch the core of why we entered medicine. I felt again how small I am in the face of human suffering—and yet how meaningful each moment of compassion becomes.
Her journey ahead will be aggressive: chemotherapy, immunotherapy, surgery, radiation. We have a deep, experienced Multidisciplinary team—Asian Onco Care, with Dr. Poonam Maurya, Dr. Sanjeet and Dr. Anil Kamath at the helm. But even the best care cannot erase the thunder of fear, the cost of treatment, the sleepless nights for both mother and child.
This case underscores why early detection matters so much. When breast cancer arises during pregnancy or lactation—a category that is often overlooked—diagnosis can be delayed. The hormonal changes, the physiologic breast engorgement, and a mother’s focus elsewhere all conspire. Self-breast examination and clinical vigilance are absolutely critical.
To my fellow clinicians: let this story remind us of the full burden our patients carry. They carry not only disease but dreams, families, futures. Our role goes beyond tumour boards and protocols: we must hold space for the tears, let compassion speak, and walk with them through uncertainty.
Breast cancer that occurs during pregnancy or while breastfeeding is considered a special and sensitive category. Hormonal changes during these periods — elevated estrogen and progesterone levels — can make the breast tissue denser and more tender, which may mask early signs of cancer.
Because of these natural changes, diagnosis can often be delayed or missed, making awareness and vigilance even more critical.
Regular self-breast examinations, paying attention to any unusual lumps or changes, and timely clinical follow-ups with a physician are essential for early detection and effective treatment.
A mother’s health is vital — for herself, and for the child she nurtures. Taking the time to monitor and protect her own body is an act of love and responsibility.
To every mother reading this: you are not alone. If you find a lump, feel pain, or suspect something unusual—even in the whirl of feeding and motherhood—please do not wait. Speak to a physician. Get screened. Your life, and your child’s life, deserve the best chance.
