Bri's Battle
"On October 24, 2019, something of a miracle happened. Bri Bernhardt and Nick Reid discovered they were going to have a baby. Their respective ages and Nick's past cancer treatment left that possibility very much in doubt. But the blood test didn't lie. On July 3, 2020, they would be parents.
But exactly two weeks later, all their excitement and hope and joy came crashing down. They received more shocking and unexpected medical news: Bri had cancer."
Click the link below to read about the early days of Bri, Nick and Bri Jr.'s story.
Impossible Choices
With the odds of a successful delivery being stacked squarely against them, Bri and Nick decided to continue with the pregnancy, despite the recommendations of several doctors to the contrary. Bri selflessly endured surgeries without general anesthesia to remove as much cancer as possible, and began a new treatment regimen that threatened both her life and that of her baby.
Miraculously, Bri's body shielded the baby from both the treatment and the cancer itself, but unbeknownst to Bri, Nick and her doctors, despite receiving cutting-edge therapy, her cancer had continued to spread, undetected, for several months.
Since the publication of this article Bri, Nick and Bri Jr. continue to push forward together as a family, fighting through a world that many of us will be fortunate enough to never understand, let alone imagine. Bri's cancer diagnosis has now progressed to stage IV and has spread to her brain, liver, lungs and lymph nodes. She has had three brain surgeries since giving birth in May, and has been hospitalized more times than she can recall. They still manage to find strength in their enduring love for each other and the immeasurable kindness of their friends and relatives.
Bri's unthinkable battle against cancer is inspiring as she fights for a cancer-free future with her husband and baby. She is pursuing a new course of treatment that requires frequent trips to MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, TX.
We can't take away the physical pain of cancer. We can't soothe the emotional pain of cancer. We can do our best to help ease the financial burden of cancer.
Please consider helping this beautiful family.
