Just weeks after the news that Maria Stuart was expecting a newborn child, she was diagnosed with a very rare case of Stage 2 Breast Cancer. She is almost 13 weeks pregnant which certainly complicates the approach for treating and eradicating the Invasive Ductal Carcinoma. Cancer diagnosed this early in a pregnancy only affects about 1 in 3000 women and the Her2 Receptor + creates great urgency due to its rapid growth. 

Maria's treatment will have to be much more drastic due to her circumstance. Typically she would be eligible for an immediate  lumpectomy and radiation, but the pregnancy complicates that option, specially considering how early she is in her term. Even if she were further along in her pregnancy, chemotherapy would be a possible approach while inducing delivery early. 

Unfortunately, all of those options are improbable and Maria has elected for a mastectomy immediately, and to ideally begin chemotherapy when she is healed and further along in her term. Maria will endure chemotherapy for 6 months and deliver the baby by cesarean. From there she can begin Herceptin (a form of chemo to combat the cancer) for approximately a year before possibly having a second mastectomy, depending on genetic DNA results. Lastly, will come several reconstructive surgeries which is an endeavor in itself. Unfortunately, she will be unable to nurse her newborn due to the risk from the Herceptin. Nursing is very important to Maria, and the family will be looking into Breast Milk Donor banks to supplement. 

Maria and her family have a long road ahead, both physically as well as financially. Luckily they do have insurance to help, but the costs involved with deductibles, out of network doctors and procedures, and even Breast Milk Donors can be astronomical. Out of network surgery alone could be upward of $120,000. And very few insurances cover all of the costs even after a deductible is met.

If you know Maria or her husband Chris at all, then you know they are the most genuine and incredible people on this earth. They are the first to help and the last to ask for it. As a family they are quite private, so you can imagine how humbling this is to be in a position of need. I can personally attest that if it were any of us, Chris and Maria would be the very first to show up in every form of assistance. Any possible way we could show our support would be more help than you could ever imagine. Maria is self employed and owns a salon and her husband Chris owns a local tattoo studio, both in Uptown Charlotte. With State Executive Orders in place, both of their industries are limited from making income at the moment. 

Let's show Maria, Chris and their son that they are not alone through this. That together we can not only help Maria overcome her hardship, but we can help them grow their family with our love and support.