19-Year-Old Who Postponed Chemo While Pregnant Dies Months After Son

A 19-year-old mother died of leukemia months after her newborn son. Brianna Rawlings made a decision to delay her treatment to give him a chance at life. 

Rawlings was diagnosed with aggressive blood cancer at 17 weeks pregnant and said she wanted to give the baby a chance to grow. 

“She was given two very raw and heartbreaking decisions,” a GoFundMe for the teen read. “Her selfless and caring side shining through —without hesitation, chose to halve her own chances of survival in order to give her son a fighting chance.”

But when she contracted a blood infection that she could have passed to the baby, doctors performed an emergency C-section.

Rawlings, from Sydney, Australia, had the chance to spend time with her son, Kyden, after he was born at just 26 weeks in September.

“For 12 whole days this beautiful little miracle graced his mum and dad with his presence. 12 short but magical and treasured days, before tragically; growing his angel wings and leaving such devastated and broken parents behind,” the campaign said.

After her son’s death, Rawlings went through intense chemotherapy and radiation for her cancer, but on Dec. 29, she died. 

“Our Beautiful Brianna reached the end of her journey with us here on earth and was finally reunited with her Baby Bear Kyden,” the family wrote in a GoFundMe update. “We are absolutely broken but at the same time at peace knowing she is no longer in pain, no longer in pieces and unsure of what news was to come next.”

The family said the funds donated to the GoFundMe for medical expenses will now go toward Rawlings’ funeral. 

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