Navigating cancer during pregnancy: How Ashni found hope and support

She had been feeling sick throughout the initial stages of her pregnancy, coping with what she thought was intense morning sickness and fatigue. It felt different than her first pregnancy, but she chalked it up to juggling the challenges of moving, working and caring for a two-and-a-half-year-old. She assumed that it would pass.

As time went on, things got worse instead of better. Ashni’s symptoms got so bad that she couldn’t eat without throwing up. Her nausea lingered, lasting up to twelve hours after she tried to eat anything. After a week of this intense discomfort, her family insisted that she go to an emergency room near their home.  

The first round of tests the hospital ran didn’t show any results. They sent her home with instructions to come back the next day for an ultrasound if the pain didn’t go away. She returned in the morning, still feeling terrible, and was admitted for an ultrasound and additional tests. The next day, a surgeon came back with the shocking news – she had a large tumour in her colon.  

This pregnancy was going to be more complex than Ashni and her husband ever could have imagined.  

Finding support through the Medical Disorders of Pregnancy program

Ashni was referred to the Medical Disorders of Pregnancy (MDP) program at Mount Sinai Hospital, part of Sinai Health. This program specializes in high-risk pregnancy care for patients who are experiencing pregnancy-related or pre-existing medical conditions.  

Sinai Health’s team of maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) specialists, also known as high-risk obstetricians, help families navigate complications related to autoimmune conditions, cancer, cardiac conditions, complex mood disorders and more. This specially trained team of physicians helps patients like Ashni understand their condition and how it affects their pregnancy. They then work closely with the family and a team of other health-care professionals to develop and implement a plan for pregnancy care and birth. 

Ashni’s diagnosis was particularly complicated because of the type and placement of her cancer, combined with the fact that she was pregnant. She had lymphoma, a cancer that can grow very quickly, in her colon. Anytime she ate or had to use the washroom, she experienced intense pain. This meant her physicians had to work out a pain management plan in addition to treatments to address the cancer, while attempting to minimize risks to the growing baby. 

“Whenever I met with the team, it made me feel confident that everything would be okay because they had the experience, and they had worked on these types of cases before.” 

– Ashni, patient advocate and Labour of Love donor.

Dr. Marina Vainder, a high-risk obstetrician at Mount Sinai Hospital, was a lifeline for Ashni and her family in the first few weeks after her diagnosis. Dr. Vainder helped them navigate all the initial complex testing, and connected her with an oncologist. When Ashni recalls that period, she describes Dr. Vainder as a shining light who provided hope during this very dark time.  

After those first weeks, another maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Mount Sinai Hospital, Dr. Kristin Harris, took the lead on Ashni’s pregnancy care. Dr. Harris worked closely with a team of oncologists at Princess Margaret Cancer Centre, who, led by Dr. Michael Crump, were managing Ashni’s chemotherapy treatments. Ashni remembers being impressed with how coordinated the communications were between all the members of her team – even though they operated out of different hospitals. She also remembers her team’s focus on ensuring she felt informed and supported.

“I probably cried non-stop at home because I just didn’t know if I was going to be here to raise my kids,” says Ashni. “But I did feel like I had the best care and the best chance despite everything. All the doctors, nurses and specialists involved worked together to build and execute a very solid plan, while constantly checking in on myself and the baby. As things changed, they were agile and adjusted the plan with careful consideration. They were so compassionate and so kind.” 

Navigating the path towards a healthy delivery and remission  

Ashni experienced a number of complications over the next three months. She estimates spending almost 40 nights in the hospital, whether it was for the pain caused by her cancer or a weakened immune system that required blood transfusions and antibiotics. But every step of the way, Dr. Harris and the team helped guide their family through decisions about what would give her and her baby the best possible chance of a healthy outcome.  

A week before she was scheduled to be induced, Ashni developed bronchitis and pneumonia due to her weakened immune system. The team leapt into action to help her get healthy enough to give birth.  

Then it happened. At 36 weeks and six days, Ashni delivered a beautiful and healthy baby girl. Ashni and her husband breathed a sigh of relief.  

“I had two wishes: the first was just to beat the cancer and the second was to have a healthy baby. There is this series of choices and decisions that were made, driven by the guidance and thoughtfulness of our doctors, that led to this outcome,” says Ashni. “No one wants to be in the medical system, but my life and my baby’s life were dependent on it. And I felt like we were in really good hands.”    

After the delivery, her cancer journey continued with Princess Margaret Cancer Centre. Dr. Fayez Quereshy, a surgical oncologist, urgently took Ashni under his care and conducted surgery to remove a section of her colon. In October of 2024, a series of biopsies and scans confirmed that she was officially in remission.  

Expressing her gratitude by giving back

Ashni’s road to recovery hasn’t been without its challenges – she wasn’t able to breastfeed her daughter due to the chemotherapy treatments or carry her after her colon surgery. She’s even had to be very careful about what she eats, and recalls a moment when she ate a piece of broccoli and had to be rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and be admitted for a week on bowel rest. But through all of these ups and downs, she’s felt an enduring sense of gratitude to her family, friends and the medical teams that cared for her and her daughter through every stage of the journey. In December, her family decided to make a gift to Sinai Health, in recognition of the exceptional care they received.  

“So many people experience risks and challenges during pregnancy. When we’d go to the clinic, we’d see so many other people dealing with these complex things,” says Ashni. “I keep saying that I’m just so thankful, so grateful for getting through this journey with this outcome and I really think it's the people [on the medical team] that made the difference.”

The Medical Disorders of Pregnancy (MDP) is part of the Francis Bloomberg Centre for Women’s and Infants’ Health. Give today to support the life-changing care that takes place at Sinai Health.