Heather Von St. James: Mother, Cancer Survivor, and Inspiration

Cancer. To some it's an abstract idea; a hazy disease living in the background of our minds. As long as it's not affecting us, we may not give it much thought. But for others, cancer is more than a disease - more than a word or an idea. Cancer is judge, jury, and executioner and the sentence is bleak.

No one with cancer ever thought, Yeah, that's definitely going to happen to me. It can sneak up on us in a million different ways. Sometimes (most times) it creeps in silently without any warning. This was how it happened to Heather Von St. James. Just three months after giving birth to Lily, a beautiful, healthy baby girl, Heather was diagnosed with pleural mesothelioma. The culprit? Asbestos silently clung to her father's work coat when she was a child. A coat she herself wore often and hugged daily. Decades later, the deadly cancer came to claim its prize. What this disease wasn't prepared for was the strength and stubbornness of a new mother.

Photo courtesy of Heather Von St. James

Think back to the weeks and months following your own child's birth. You were probably sore, tired, and overwhelmed. Maybe you were losing weight from breastfeeding. Heather was all of these things, but when she began dropping 5-7 pounds per week, she knew something was wrong. She, like every mom, had just one emotion that topped all others: unyielding love.

Through faith in God and a mother's love, Heather found the strength to keep going everyday. Through tests, traveling, and procedures, she fought. When she had to leave her newborn daughter with her parents to seek treatment, it broke her heart. We all know how quickly that first year flies and how incredibly fast children learn from day to day. Being away from her baby for months at a time was more painful than even the disease. Not knowing whether she would ever hold her again was more than any mother could bear.

Photo courtesy of Heather Von St. James

Her strength and determination paid off when she began treating with David Sugarbaker, M.D. at Boston's Brigham and Women's Hospital. Finally, Heather came out the other side as a cancer survivor. Lily still had a lot of growing to do and this mom wasn't about to miss it.

Photo courtesy of Heather Von St. James

Heather's battle may be over, but she continues the fight against cancer by spreading the word about mesothelioma and offering hope to others. Her life is an inspiration and she has dedicated herself to providing information and resources to those affected.

Please watch this short video to learn more about Heather's story. You can like her on Facebook, follow her on Twitter or check out her website at www.mesothelioma.com/heather.