‘Baby was my strength during treatment’

Raquel Soeiro with her family. She says the heartbreak of having breast cancer diagnosed was magnified as she was eight weeks pregnant with her firstborn. Courtesy Miguel Veterano

DUBAI // For Raquel Soeiro, the heartbreak of a cancer diagnosis was amplified since she was eight weeks pregnant with her first child.

It was in May 2014 that the Portuguese expatriate discovered a lump in her left breast.

“One day I had nothing and then the next day there it was – a lump,” said the 35-year-old.

Ms Soeiro went for an ultrasound and further tests and breast cancer was diagnosed.

“At that time, I knew I was pregnant,” she said. “When you get told you have breast cancer, it is like you are outside of your own body. You feel like an intruder. It is hard – but even more so when you are pregnant.”

Ms Soeiro underwent lumpectomy, chemotherapy and 15 sessions of radiotherapy.

The Dubai resident said she read every book she could to make sure she was informed as best possible about chemotherapy in pregnancy.

“You want to know things and you want to learn,” she said.

“That is the biggest thing I would say to everyone – read, read, read about your cancer. That helps you a lot, to work through a lot of things.”

Ms Soeiro said her unborn daughter was her biggest strength while undergoing treatment. “Actually, I really felt I was a normal pregnant woman,” she said. “I had an amazing pregnancy and I had no symptoms from chemotherapy.”

At 38 weeks, on March 19 last year, Ms Soeiro gave birth to a healthy baby girl who weighed 3.5kg.

“She was beautiful, just perfect,” she said. “It was amazing.”

Ms Soeiro would advise other women going through the same thing to keep informed, to stay close to the medical team providing care and to lean on family and friends for support.

“And smile,” she said. “Stay smiling.

“Cancer does not equal a death sentence. Never give up. Keep fighting.”

Ms Soeiro would urge all women to be aware and do their self-exam.

“If you find a lump, don’t wait. If it is breast cancer, you want to be treated at the earliest stage.”