When Lucy Turner received the devastating news of her aggressive mouth cancer diagnosis, she faced an impossible choice: terminate her pregnancy or risk her own life. Three years later, she finds herself celebrating a joyous Christmas with her newborn son, Sandy, in New York.
Lucy, originally from Edinburgh, was diagnosed on December 20, 2020, after a routine dental visit revealed a lesion on her tongue. Following a biopsy at St John’s Hospital in Livingston, she learned she had stage three cancer that would require urgent treatment, effectively putting her pregnancy at risk.
The medical team explained that the necessary surgery and radiotherapy would be life-threatening to her baby. “They made clear that it’s either you or the baby or most likely neither because the baby won’t survive the treatment but you won’t survive without the treatment,” Lucy recalled. Faced with such grim options, she sought second opinions from doctors around the world, but the prognosis remained bleak.
Despite the emotional turmoil of having to end her pregnancy, Lucy underwent surgery to remove half of her tongue, a procedure that would leave her struggling with speech. “I really couldn’t recognise myself in the mirror because my face was enormous,” she said. The physical and emotional toll was immense, but she developed a rehabilitation plan that included physiotherapy and speech drills, which helped her regain a sense of normalcy.
Lucy’s journey took a hopeful turn when, last year, she discovered she was pregnant again, this time naturally, with her husband, Alejandro Torrealba. “I was absolutely delighted and baked a cake and made my husband’s favourite Venezuelan dish,” she shared. The couple embraced the news as a symbol of hope, especially significant during the Christmas season.
Reflecting on her experiences, Lucy emphasized the importance of peace and rest in recovery. “What I actually needed… was rest, retreating a little bit from life and bringing in peace,” she noted. The emotional resilience she developed through her cancer battle has shaped her views on motherhood and family life.
The story of Lucy Turner highlights the emotional and physical challenges many women face when dealing with serious health issues during pregnancy. Caroline McKinnel, co-centre head at Maggie’s Edinburgh, reflected on the difficult decisions women are forced to make in such situations. “Having to make a decision whether to continue with a pregnancy or not due to the need for urgent cancer treatment is one of the hardest things a woman could possibly face,” she said.
As Lucy prepares to celebrate Christmas with her family, she recognizes the profound significance of hope. “I think this message we have, probably more strongly at Christmas, about hope and believing in a better future, absolutely has merit,” she stated. Her story serves as a poignant reminder of resilience and the power of family during challenging times.
