Kourtni Smith, a 34-year-old Maryland mother battling terminal cancer, wants women to listen to their intuition if they feel something is wrong with their body. It was fear that held the mother of five back from seeking treatment after she discovered a lump in her breast in 2021, shortly after the birth of her youngest son.
Smith had difficulty producing milk and underwent a mammogram to check for tumors. Sadly, the matriarch had no clue that her life would change forever.
The Maryland mom was diagnosed with stage 3 invasive lobular carcinoma, a type of breast cancer that spreads into the lobules, the glands in the breast that produce milk. When the disease becomes aggressive, it can spread to other areas of the body, causing life-threatening damage.
That was the heartbreaking prognosis for Smith. In April, doctors informed the young mother that her cancer had progressed to stage 4 of the disease. In October, she was told that the cancer had spread to her bones and brain and that she would only have a few months left to live.
“Evidently, I was chosen for something. And I feel like now I can save somebody’s life,” Smith told WUSA 9 in an interview published Nov. 12.
“Here I am, only 34, and I’m dying, you know, because I was afraid to go to the doctor.”
According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, invasive lobular carcinoma is the second most common form of breast cancer diagnosed in the United States, “representing 10% to 15% of diagnosed invasive breast cancers.”
Testing for the condition can be difficult. Invasive lobular carcinoma causes the surrounding tissue near the breast to harden and thicken, which may be tough to spot with a mammogram or imaging, Penn Medicine notes. Consistent screenings and tests are often needed to treat the invasive tumor.
According to WUSA 9, Smith has received three rounds of chemo and was recently placed in hospice, where she continues to make the best out of her limited time. The beautiful mother spends every waking moment with her husband and five children, ages 2, 9, 12, 14 and 16.
“I would want them to know that I love them and I love them so much that I would go to any measures, any drastic measures, to make sure that they’re OK. Even beyond the grave,” Smith said during her interview with tears streaming down her face.
Initially, doctors recommended that Smith undergo eight rounds of chemotherapy and 15 radiation sessions, but she fell too ill after the third treatment, according to her GoFundMe page.
Now, the 34-year-old mother is preparing for her departure. Smith is raising money to help cover her funeral expenses and to assist her family after she’s gone. She’s also writing a children’s book for her youngest son. Consider donating here.
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