An Arlington cancer survivor, who nearly missed out on getting to be a mom, says she’s extra thankful to be celebrating Mother’s Day this weekend.
Between getting ready to move to a new house and taking care of her 3-year-old son Luke, life is a little crazy for Rachel Trevino. But she takes it all in stride with a smile on her face.
"We've just enjoyed every little second," said Trevino.
That's because she knows her life could be very different now.
"You have to stay positive," said Trevino. "It's hard to say that. But you can't think about the worst thing that can happen."
When she was 20-years-old, Trevino was diagnosed with Stage IV Hodgkin's Lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer.
"It was a surprise," she says.
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As if dealing with the shock of that news wasn't enough, when she went to Texas Oncology in Mansfield, her doctors told her there was a very real possibility that the intense chemotherapy she needed would prevent her from having kids.
"That was one of my main concerns," said Trevino. "Starting a family was very important to me."
"It was honestly a coin toss," said Dr. Shrinivas Diggikar, the oncologist that treated Trevino. "It could have gone either way."
Diggikar said he was truly inspired by how determined she was to beat both obstacles in front of her.
"She did it with a smile," said Diggikar. "She knew she was going to win this case."
Trevino is now cancer-free and is pregnant with her second child, who is due in July. She said her experience with cancer has shaped her as a mother.
"I get to enjoy [my son's] life and everything he's been doing," said Trevino.
And she can't think of a better Mother’s Day present than that.
