A Woman Was Thrilled to Become a Mom, but 9 Days After Giving Birth, Doctors Diagnosed Her with a Rare Cancer – Her Story

Lydia Dutcher’s first Valentine’s Day as a mother turned tragic with a call revealing a rare choriocarcinoma diagnosis eight days into chemotherapy, her hCG levels falling but cancer spreading to her lungs. After a grueling three-day labor in February 2024, delivering healthy son Theo in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin, a lingering infection led to a life-saving placenta test. The aggressive cancer, undetected during her normal pregnancy, required intensive

10-week chemotherapy, complicating her care for Theo. Supported by husband Matthew and family, Lydia shared her journey on Instagram, gaining community support, including breast milk donations. By April 2024, her hCG levels hit zero, and scans showed no cancer, declaring her cancer-free. Theo remained unaffected, and Lydia, now monitoring monthly, hopes for more children, cherishing her survival and motherhood with a resilient new perspective.