A mother's "sacrifice": Woman dies of rare cancer after giving birth to twins
SYRACUSE (WITI) -- A Syracuse mother has lost her life to a rare form of cancer discovered shortly after she gave birth to twins.
According to a Facebook page set up for Jenna Hinman called "Prayers for Jenna," Jenna was in her 30th week of pregnancy when she went into premature labor on March 3rd.
She was rushed to the ER, and delivered her twin baby girls within an hour of arrival via emergency C-section.
Photo Courtesy Facebook
The baby girls, Kinleigh Anne Hinman (2 pounds, 9 ounches) and Azlynn Mary Hinman (3 pounds, 6 ounces) were whisked away to the NICU.
Shortly thereafter, it was discovered that Jenna was having difficulty breathing.
It was soon discovered Jenna was fighting for her life.
She was placed in a medically induced coma on March 6th -- three days after her baby girls were born.
Soon, her family learned Jenna was facing a rare, pregnancy-related cancer called "choriocarcinoma" -- which filled her body with tumors and lesions.
The cancer was complicated by a chest/lung infection, which caused Jenna to bleed internally and essentially rendered her lungs useless.
A team of prestigious local and international medical professionals were flown in to treat Jenna.
Jenna Hinman passed away on Monday, May 5th.
Photo Courtesy Facebook
Jenna's husband is a United States Army Sergeant.
The tiny baby girls are being taken care of by Jenna's parents -- as her husband has been called back to active duty.
The following message was posted on Tuesday, May 6th on the "Prayers for Jenna" Facebook page:
"Jenna did NOT lose her battle with cancer. She beat the cancer in a way almost no one ever does.
The type of cancer she had almost always claims the life of the child, not the parent. Jenna sacrificed herself to save her two children. She defeated the cancer before it ever hurt the two most beloved people to her in the world.
She fulfilled her role as a mother in a way almost no one else could have. Her body took the blow and saved her children.
Just as her husband has chosen to readily lay down his life and protect the ones he loves, Jenna has as well. In the most powerful way possible.
Jenna has made the ultimate sacrifice. And in doing so her children are blessed, not just with the love of God, but by the true undying and absolute love of their wonderful mother who died to protect them.
It might be hard to keep faith now, but God will reward the truly selfless Hinman family. Jenna is with the man upstairs right now, freed from her ailing body, her ultimate job as a mother is done. She can now sit back and watch her husband raise her two children that she died to save.
She didn't just beat the cancer. She destroyed it and never let it touch her two precious children."
CLICK HERE to learn more about Jenna Hinman's story via the Prayers for Jenna Facebook page.