Ruth is a 34 year old woman whom was diagnosed with a rare soft tissue and bone cancer in August 2015. She was 18 weeks pregnant with her third child. After months and months of pain and intermittent paralysis doctors finally agreed to do an MRI on Ruth's body where they discovered a large tumour. Ruth and her husband Paul were told that is was most likely a benign tumour but it needed to be removed due to the excessive amount of pain in was causing Ruth and the increasing loss of feeling on Ruth's right side of her body. The operation was 12 hours long and they did not know if the baby would survive. Miraculously, the baby survived the surgery and the tumour was removed causing minimal damage to Ruth's movement. Unfortunately the diagnosis came back as an aggressive cancer. Ruth and her husband were told they had no choice but to abort their baby boy as Ruth needed to start lifesaving and intense chemotherapy straight away. In the oncologists words " it's Ruth's life or the baby's". After much discussion with specialists and praying for guidance Ruth and her husband Paul decided to take the path of an effective but less harmful (to the baby) chemotherapy for 12 weeks until the baby could be delivered early at 28weeks and then Ruth would start on stronger drugs and radiotherapy. This decision was not made lightly. The baby could die in utero or be born with disabilities. Being born prematurely had many risks in itself. Unbelievably Caleb Samuel was born healthy at 32 weeks gestation and only spent 5 weeks in the NICU to grow and learn how to suck from a bottle. Ruth continued her intense treatment and treatment appeared to be working. Ruth's husband Paul handled looking after the two other children at home; Josiah 3 and Amelia 2, whilst visiting Caleb in hospital everyday. Ruth was hospitalised multiple times for weeks at a time during the last four months of her treatment due to infections and needing blood transfusions. Ruth finished her treatment in May 2016. In October 2016, 5 months since treatment stopped, intense pain started in her lower back again and after diagnostic testing a new area of cancer was discovered in Ruth's spine. This news that the cancer has spread is devastating for the whole family. Ruth's children now 1,3 and 4 know that mummy is "sick" and that is scary enough for them without any more knowledge yet that their future may be without their mother. There are still treatment options available for Ruth at this time and she is beyond grateful for that. Ruth's family believe that God is in control of this situation and there is still time for a miracle. Whilst they wait and look at further treatment they would love to spend quality time with each other and give the kids time with their mum to create happy memories. We are blessed to live in a country where medical care doesn't discriminate but the cost for treatments are still there. As they look in to alternative therapies, treatment will cost up to $250,000 for a year of immunotherapy. Maybe less, maybe more depending on the treatment plan set up for Ruth. We would be forever grateful for any donation you wish to give to put towards this fund for Ruth's treatment. Prayers are good too! Ruth's husband Paul needs her around for a long time. So do her kids! And so do her parents ( who will look after them in their old age! ) Ruth's story isn't unique. There are many mothers out there with young children who have been diagnosed with cancer. It's devastating. cancer doesn't deserve a capital letter. Let's beat this thing so no child ever has to go through cancer and so no child ever loses their mother to this disease. Thank you for reading. I look forward to updating you all on Ruth's cancer journey.