The Combs Family just days before Cara’s death
A 38 year-old mother of four has died after delaying cancer treatment for stage IV melanoma until her unborn child was strong enough to survive outside the womb.
Fox2Now.com in St. Louis is reporting on the story of Cara Combs, who was diagnosed with cancer when she was 23 weeks pregnant. Doctors wanted her to have the child immediately in order to start treatment, but the baby’s chances of survival were not good.
On November 13, Cara made this announcement on her Facebook page:
“I feel it’s time to post this because I know a lot of information is going around. Last week I was diagnosed with stage IV melanoma. I am also 25 weeks pregnant. I can’t begin treatment while pregnant so I have some tough decisions to make. Against the advice of my oncologist, I am choosing to delay my treatment for three weeks in order to get the baby to 28 weeks. There is no good decision here. We will both be fighting for our lives and I feel incredibly guiltily about that.”
She goes on to say that she saw a dermatologist a year earlier and nothing suspicious had been found. In fact, even her oncologist was unable to pinpoint the source of her cancer.
“At 38 you don’t expect to find out that you are dying. It definitely puts things into perspective. All I can say is enjoy every minute with your kids and don’t stress about little things. The baby will probably be born the first week of December and I will start treatment 48 hours later. I know we are in for some big upcoming battles. Thank you for all of the support we have received so far. It is very much appreciated!”
Cara went into labor on December 5 and delivered a healthy baby girl who the family named Shaylin.
According to Emily Lucarz, a close friend and the family’s photographer, Cara suffered complications following Shaylin’s birth that prevented her from starting treatment as planned.
“She had NO idea she would have such complications unrelated to her cancer that would keep her in the ICU,” Lucarz writes on her Facebook page. “Cara ended up needing a liver transplant, but because of her cancer was not a candidate.”
After having only a few precious days with her new baby, Cara passed away on December 8.
“I wanted to let everyone know that we lost Cara Walters Combs this morning,” her husband, Roy, wrote on the family’s GoFundMe page. “I don’t have to tell you how great of a person she was. She will be missed by all. I always knew she was destined for greater things. We all have a perfect angel looking over us. She was the strongest person I ever met and the best wife and mother. She sacrificed everything so her legacy could live on. Thank you all for your support and prayers. She was my everything and always will be.”
As of this morning, over 700 people have donated more than $52,000 to the family.
Let’s keep them in our prayers as they go through this first difficult Christmas season without their beloved wife and mother.
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