Cancer-stricken Michelle Buchholtz and fiance Alex Ansalone hold premmie baby daughter Ava at the Royal Women’s Hospital. Picture: DAVID CAIRD Source: News Corp Australia
BRAVE first-time mum Michelle Buchholtz has one wish — to live long enough to take baby Ava home after she was born nearly three months premature.
The terminally ill McKinnon mother was forced to deliver at 29 weeks to prolong her own life as doctors feared her cancer-ridden body would not withstand a full-term pregnancy.
Her fiance, Alex Ansalone, 37, has been desperately fundraising for various treatments and Ava’s future through a crowd-funding website, in the hope of buying the family more time.
Baby Ava was briefly held to her mother’s cheek last Friday after being stabilised following the birth in a bittersweet moment for the new mum.
“I felt mixed emotions,’’ said Ms Buchholtz, 38.
“It was difficult to be totally happy initially, I was looking at her thinking ‘Oh My God I’m not going to be here’.
“But when they put her on my chest a couple of days later everything sank away.
Michelle Buchholtz in hospital on Friday before giving birth.
“It was beautiful. She was crying a little bit, but once she was on me she soothed.’’
Staff and family at the Royal Women’s Hospital wept as Ava was delivered by caesarean, weighing just 1053 grams and measuring 37cm long.
With her fiance and sister by her side, she whispered: “Hello Ava, it’s mummy, I love you.”
Ava’s early arrival was the realisation of a two-year dream for the couple who lost two other babies, one during her first fight with an aggressive form of stage-four breast cancer.
Tragically, they discovered halfway into her third pregnancy that the cancer had returned and spread to her bones.
The birth and first tender moments with mum were captured on video, a lasting memento for when Ava grows up.
Nurses hold baby Ava to get a kiss from mum Michelle as an emotional dad Alex looks on. Picture: David Caird.
Lying in a neck brace with fractures caused by the tumours, Ms Buchholtz needs a mirror to see her daughter’s doll-like face when she is put on her chest.
She has penned letters for her daughter to read, and wants to pass on Italian recipes from her partner’s mother, German storybooks from her childhood and her cherished engagement ring.
Mr Ansalone said his fiancee had shown inspirational strength after first being diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer in 2012 and enduring a double mastectomy.
The couple terminated their first pregnancy two years ago due to cancer treatment and a second after a blood test detected a serious abnormality with a slim chance of surviving to term.
They decided to try for a third child when confident she was cancer-free but at 17 weeks pregnant, an MRI confirmed that the cancer had returned.
It was rapidly invading her spine, and within months tumours had spread to her neck, lower back, pelvis, hip and thigh.
Michelle Buchholtz hopes to be well enough to take her baby home.
Mr Ansalone said the baby had been a huge source of hope for both of them.
“It was the greatest day of our lives,’’ he said.
“We’ve been told her prognosis is not good and there’s no cure.
“So having the baby has been the best thing at this stage. It has helped us push through.’’
Ms Buchholtz said she knew there was no point getting angry about it because “you miss the here and now’’.
“You have to keep hope. I think that’s a major part of survival. My aim is to be healthy enough to care for her when she comes home,” she said.
Obstetrician Dr Nicola Yuen cried as she performed the caesarean and said all staff involved were deeply moved.
“Michelle was the only one who didn’t cry, she’s so strong. She was so full of joy,’’ said Dr Yuen.
“Her single-minded determination to have a baby was incredible.’’
She said it was a difficult decision for the couple to continue with the pregnancy as there was a chance the baby would have to be delivered even earlier as Ms Buchholtz’s health deteriorated.
The birth itself carried big risks with the potential for spinal damage due to her spinal tumours and neck fracture.
But the disease was spreading so fast the pregnancy was putting too much strain on her body, and both chemotherapy and radiotherapy were easier without a “baby on board’’.
Ava is improving daily in the neonatal intensive care unit with hopes she will be home in three months.
HOW YOU CAN HELP
Donate at: mycause.com.au/michelle
Or directly to:
Alexander Ansalone
BSB: 013377
Account number: 284601798
Originally published as Cancer mum’s plea: Help me live for baby Ava