Pregnant Las Vegas mom battles rare blood cancer, hopes to save unborn child

LAS VEGAS, Nev. (FOX5) – A Las Vegas mother of three who is pregnant again is fighting for her life and the life of her unborn child. Right now, she is the hospital in Southern California battling a rare blood cancer and spoke to FOX5′s Kim Passoth via Zoom.

“I have to beat cancer because I have three kids that need me,” Aryanna Brewer contended. Brewer is a stay at home mom for her six-year-old, four-year-old, 18-month-old.

Brewer was told she wouldn’t be able have kids after beating cancer as a teenager. At 16, she fought acute lymphoblastic leukemia undergoing chemotherapy for two and a half years. Earlier this year, Brewer learned she was carrying her fourth child.

“I am 24 weeks pregnant,” Brewer revealed. Lately, the mom-to-be felt sick but dismissed it as part of her pregnancy.

“The symptoms are like fatigue, shortness of breath, so I am thinking this has to do with being pregnant but then I come to find out I’m anemic which is a big sign that leukemia has come back especially if you a history,” Brewer explained. Two weeks ago, Brewer confirmed the cancer had come back.

“When we finally got to the point where they did the bone marrow biopsy that was it, they saw my bone marrow was 90% cancer,” Brewer stated.

Brewer’s doctors told her she will need a bone marrow transplant that they don’t do in Las Vegas. Brewer reached out unsuccessfully to facilities in Utah and Arizona. UCLA said they could help.

“Right now, I am on a floor that is just blood cancer which I’ve never seen before. Tomorrow I am going to be getting a chemotherapy that goes in your spine,” Brewer reported.

Brewer will be in hospital for a month of chemo. Then if she is in remission, Brewer will undergo 28 days of immunotherapy.

“Then we would be looking at delivering the baby early by C-section…recovering 4-6 weeks…and then after that the bone marrow transplant,” Brewer said. Brewer will fight for her own life and also to save her unborn child.

“We are going to check her heartbeat every day, every Monday they are going to check her growth. If there is a chance that its safe and we can do it then we want to try,” Brewer shared.

Right now, Brewer is looking for a bone marrow match and is asking friends, family, and everyone to sign up for free testing. Learn more here: How to join the donor registry | Be The Match

Brewer’s family has started a GoFundMe page to help with expenses during her cancer battle: Fundraiser for Aryanna Brewer, Fight Against Leukemia (gofundme.com)

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