A pregnant mother diagnosed with breast cancer said no to doctors who advised her to abort her daughter, Aurora. Consiglia Varriale and her baby, born on 15 September, are doing well.

Michael Robinson, SPUC Director of Communications and Campaigns, said: “Not only did Consiglia battle cancer, but she also fought for the life of her baby daughter. Her story is inspirational and sends a truly pro-life message to us all, but especially to the doctors who advised her to have an abortion.”

Consiglia Varriale, 42, from Italy, shared a picture of herself holding baby Aurora, her second child, after her birth on 15 September.

Three months into her pregnancy, Mrs Varriale had been diagnosed with breast cancer.

Mrs Varriale said: “I was too happy at the thought of that pregnancy. I would never, ever decide to terminate it. My husband was worried about my health, and indeed still is. But faced with my enthusiasm, my serenity, and my optimism, he necessarily had to give in and support my choice.”

Receiving treatment at the Pascale Institute in Naples, the mother was given specialized chemotherapy for her cancer that would not jeopardize her unborn baby.

“I followed only my heart”

Reflecting on her pregnancy and her cancer, Mrs Varriale said:

“I followed only my heart. They all told me that I had to give up the baby if I wanted to go on living."

Mr Robinson said: “ Consiglia’s courage and motherly instinct were all that stood between her baby and the abortion.

“Advances in the treatment of cancer mean that patients such as Consiglia, more than ever before, are provided with the means of fighting cancer while protecting the life of their unborn child.

“SPUC wishes Consiglia, Aurora and the whole Varriale family all the best in the future.”