Bayfield Family Encouraged While Dealing With Pregnancy & Cancer
BAYFIELD, Colo. (CBS4) - A young couple from Bayfield is torn between joy and fear. The wife is pregnant with her sixth child, but she is also fighting breast cancer.
Pregnancy and chemotherapy doesn't seem fair, but the Choates are a strong family and growing stronger with each new challenge. They're encouraged that it will all work out.
Benjamin, Chance, Joseph, Morgan and baby Naomi are excited that mom Heather is pregnant with her sixth, but they know this time it's different.
"We were 10 weeks along when we found out that I had breast cancer," Heather said.
"It was shocking to say the least," Heather's husband Ben said.
Heather is just 29 years old and she has no family history of breast cancer. Then came the aftershock.
"We were told by multiple oncologists that we needed to terminate in order to increase my chances of survival," Heather said. "I would rather die than take the life of my child."
So the Choates turned to Dr. Virginia Borges, a national expert on young women and breast cancer. Heather now travels seven hours to the University of Colorado Hospital for chemotherapy. She'll have a mastectomy before the baby is born.
"Baby's doing good so far," Heather said.
The other children are anxious to see their new sibling and they made mom laugh while Ben cut off her hair. And their 6-year-old let them know he's asking for help.
"He stood up from his individual prayer, he said, 'Dad, I did a good thing. I prayed for mom and the baby,' " Ben said.
The Choates admit there are tough moments and times when they think "why us?" But they hold tight to their family, their friends and their faith.
LINKS: 29, Pregnant, With Cancer (Benefit Concert) | Help Heather Fight Cancer