Life can be both beautiful and unfair. It is full of unexpected moments, some bringing happiness and others bringing deep sadness.
Brianna Rawlings was just 18 years old when she received heartbreaking news. She was 17 weeks pregnant and excited to become a mother when doctors told her she had a rare and aggressive blood cancer called NK cell leukemia.
Before this, Brianna had been experiencing symptoms, but doctors thought they were just pregnancy-related. By the time they found out the truth, she had to make a very difficult choice.
Doctors told her she could end the pregnancy and start treatment to save her own life, or she could continue with the pregnancy and delay treatment in hopes of giving her baby a chance to live.
Brianna chose to put her baby first and continued with her pregnancy. But things did not go as she had hoped.
She developed a blood infection, and doctors became concerned that it could harm the baby. They decided to do an emergency C-section to deliver her son.
Baby Kyden was born three months early. He was small and weak, but Brianna cherished every moment with him.
She later said those 12 days with him were the best days of her life. She held him, counted his fingers and toes, and spoke to him just like she had when he was still in her womb.
Sadly, Kyden passed away after just 12 days. Despite all the love he received, he was too small and fragile to survive.
Even after losing Kyden, Brianna promised to keep fighting her illness.
At first, her health showed small signs of improvement. She was determined to regain her strength.
Doctors planned a bone marrow transplant for her, but her health started to decline again. Instead, they tried an expensive trial drug that cost $3,000 per week.
Her family raised enough money for two rounds of treatment, but unfortunately, it was not enough.
On December 29, 2018, at just 19 years old, Brianna lost her battle with leukemia. She fought bravely until the very end.