MINNESOTA, USA — Stephani Peterson had always envisioned a big family, one she and her husband, Andrew Lesewski, could nurture and grow together. After marrying in 2016, the couple was eager to begin their journey towards having children.
“I always wanted a big family, like three or four kids,” Peterson said. “I pictured myself as a mom in my 20s.”
However, their dreams were delayed due to fertility challenges. The couple’s first child didn’t arrive until 2023, with the help of in vitro fertilization (IVF).
“Cam is exactly who is supposed to be our son,” Peterson said. “Without IVF, we wouldn’t have this perfect human. His heart is so tender.”
The Peterson family returned to IVF for a second attempt but tragically lost the embryo in July 2024. After a period of emotional healing, Peterson underwent a third round of IVF and was hopeful when, on December 4, 2024, she received the news that her embryo was ready for transfer.
“From an IVF standpoint, it was picture perfect,” she said. “That’s their quote, ‘picture perfect, ready for your embryo.’”
However, just hours later, Peterson’s world was shattered.
The Unexpected Diagnosis
Leading up to the embryo transfer, Peterson had been preparing her body for pregnancy, which included months of medication. She began to experience persistent pain in her right breast, but initially, she dismissed it, attributing it to the hormonal changes caused by IVF treatments.
“I attributed it to hormones. It’s normal to have inflammation,” Peterson said. But by November, the pain was severe enough for Peterson to schedule a doctor’s appointment, motivated by her desire to ensure she was in the best possible health for her upcoming IVF.
“I’m glad I did,” she said. “If we weren’t going to transfer, I don’t know that I would have kept my appointment.”
On December 4, 2024, just before the embryo transfer, Peterson’s biopsy results arrived. The message revealed the shocking news: “Carcinoma, carcinoma.”
Peterson was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma, a type of breast cancer. The cancer was growing rapidly and, alarmingly, her tumors were highly positive for estrogen and progesterone.
“My tumors are highly positive for estrogen and progesterone,” Peterson said.
Her doctors immediately started treatment to counteract the medications she had been taking during IVF that may have aggravated the tumor’s growth.
The prognosis was grim: Peterson was advised to undergo five months of chemotherapy, followed by a double mastectomy and radiation, and then long-term hormone therapy.
A Journey of Strength and Resilience
Despite the rigorous treatment plan, Peterson remains focused on her dream of expanding her family in the future.
“The earliest we could expand our family is maybe four, four and a half years,” she said.
Stephani credits IVF for saving her life in more ways than one. IVF not only gave her the son she had always dreamed of, but it also made her more attuned to her body’s signals, which ultimately led to her breast cancer diagnosis.
“If I hadn’t had the pain, I would have never gone in,” she said. “The IVF meds signaled to me that something was wrong.”
She also recognizes that many others might ignore these important body signals due to external pressures or a lack of awareness.
“We know our bodies. We know when something is wrong intuitively,” Peterson said. “People need to listen to that. I’m 34. If we had waited for the normal screening at 40, I have no idea how our story would look.”
A Strong Support System
As Peterson faces this unexpected battle, her community has rallied around her. Friends and family have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help cover the medical expenses, and Peterson’s story is resonating with others far beyond her immediate circle.
“People that I haven’t heard from in 20 years are reaching out, saying, ‘I’m going to get a mammogram because of your story. I’m going to go in and get that ultrasound,’” Peterson shared.
Despite the challenges, Peterson remains focused on the most important thing in her life: her family.
“It’s been hard to deal with the reality of 2025 not looking how we thought it was going to look,” Peterson said. “But as long as you have your family unit intact, that’s the most important thing.”
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