Imagine discovering you're pregnant just two days after receiving a rare blood cancer diagnosis at 30. For journalist Elle Halliwell, this unimaginable scenario became reality when her routine health check revealed chronic myeloid leukemia—an incurable but treatable condition that would change everything.

Despite doctors advising she terminate the pregnancy to begin life-saving treatment, Elle made the extraordinary decision to continue, feeling it was "meant to be." She takes us through the peace she found amid chaos, and her induced birth at 36 weeks that brought her perfect son Tor into the world. From the emotional rollercoaster of breastfeeding while preparing for cancer treatment, to rebuilding her life as a mother with an ongoing medical condition, Elle's story is a powerful testament to maternal determination that defied medical odds. 

Diary Of A Birth features mums telling their miraculous stories of bringing life into the world. If you’d like to share your birth story, we’d love to hear from you at podcast@mamamia.com.au or send us a voice note here.

THE END BITS:
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Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram

If you’re looking for something else to listen to, check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens.

Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood.
Our parenting podcast is This Glorious Mess.
If you’re pregnant, listen to The Delivery Room and Hello Bump.
And if you’re trying or preg-curious, Get Me Pregnant and Before The Bump are for you.

CREDITS:

Host: Ksenija Lukich

Birth Story: Elle Halliwell 

Obstetrician & Gynaecologist:Dr Bronwyn Devine

Producers: Ksenija Lukich & Tina Matolov

Audio Producer: Leah Porges 

Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Imagine discovering you're pregnant just two days after receiving a rare blood cancer diagnosis at 30. For journalist Elle Halliwell, this unimaginable scenario became reality when her routine health check revealed chronic myeloid leukemia&mdash;an incurable but treatable condition that would change everything.
Despite doctors advising she terminate the pregnancy to begin life-saving treatment, Elle made the extraordinary decision to continue, feeling it was "meant to be." She takes us through the peace she found amid chaos, and her induced birth at 36 weeks that brought her perfect son Tor into the world. From the emotional rollercoaster of breastfeeding while preparing for cancer treatment, to rebuilding her life as a mother with an ongoing medical condition, Elle's story is a powerful testament to maternal determination that defied medical odds.&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/diary-of-a-birth" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/diary-of-a-birth&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1jEqZWcUsCKWgaf6I_aru-">Diary Of A Birth&nbsp;</a>features mums telling their miraculous stories of bringing life into the world. If you&rsquo;d like to share your birth story, we&rsquo;d love to hear from you at&nbsp;<a href="mailto:podcast@mamamia.com.au">podcast@mamamia.com.au</a>&nbsp;or send us a voice note&nbsp;<a href="https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://help.mamamia.com.au/en-US/send-a-podcast-voice-note-467960&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw29Q4adFKCb-coGIWhfqboK">here</a>. THE END BITS: <a href="https://mamamia.com.au/subscribe/?utm_source=shownotes&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=quicky&amp;utm_content=mm-birthday&amp;code=TQBIRTHDAY" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://mamamia.com.au/subscribe/?utm_source%3Dshownotes%26utm_medium%3Dpodcast%26utm_campaign%3Dquicky%26utm_content%3Dmm-birthday%26code%3DTQBIRTHDAY&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1QmYCj2XoKZIak4TzggWhi">Support independent women's media </a><a href="https://www.instagram.com/diaryofabirthbymamamia?igsh=MnZrbXJ3ZzRvbTht" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/diaryofabirthbymamamia?igsh%3DMnZrbXJ3ZzRvbTht&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2KGvsMl7W7r4A-48yR2a-G">Follow Diary Of A Birth on Instagram</a>
If you&rsquo;re looking for something else to listen to, check out our hilarious and seriously unhelpful podcast&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/the-baby-bubble/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/the-baby-bubble/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw10HtaL00ewX3-nUnuA1feg">The Baby Bubble hosted by Clare and Jessie Stephens. </a>Mamamia has a podcast for every stage of parenthood. Our parenting podcast is<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/this-glorious-mess/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/this-glorious-mess/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1UOJHXVbbfQC9MCFEz7ZSY">&nbsp;This Glorious Mess</a>. If you&rsquo;re pregnant, listen to<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/the-delivery-room/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/the-delivery-room/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3zsoVIVlpGncRIs6fl5E-X">&nbsp;The Delivery Room</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/hello-bump/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/hello-bump/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0Mg01rYum90ZK8oNoNXDpV">&nbsp;Hello Bump</a>. And if you&rsquo;re trying or preg-curious,<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/get-me-pregnant/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/get-me-pregnant/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3G5_9wgg3jjczlquxVLshz">&nbsp;Get Me Pregnant</a>&nbsp;and<a href="https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/before-the-bump/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.mamamia.com.au/podcasts/before-the-bump/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785488000&amp;usg=AOvVaw13nESHIngbP2X-13Jix5bi">&nbsp;Before The Bump</a>&nbsp;are for you. CREDITS:
Host:<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ksenijalukich?igsh=MWszeGl2ejczeTl6NA==" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/ksenijalukich?igsh%3DMWszeGl2ejczeTl6NA%3D%3D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785489000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2QQwe_vOXF_jQCq51Q6RdT">&nbsp;Ksenija Lukich</a>
Birth Story: <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ellehalliwell/?hl=en">Elle Halliwell&nbsp;</a>
Obstetrician &amp; Gynaecologist: <a href="https://www.drbronwyndevine.com.au/">Dr Bronwyn Devine</a><a href="https://podcasts.apple.com/au/podcast/the-kick-pregnancy-podcast/id1469497070"></a>
Producers:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.instagram.com/ksenijalukich?igsh=MWszeGl2ejczeTl6NA==" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.instagram.com/ksenijalukich?igsh%3DMWszeGl2ejczeTl6NA%3D%3D&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1742335785489000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2QQwe_vOXF_jQCq51Q6RdT">Ksenija Lukich</a> &amp; Tina Matolov
Audio Producer:&nbsp;Leah Porges&nbsp;
Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.

Giving birth is a transformative experience. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s miraculous. And no two stories are the same.

Diary Of A Birth brings you inside the delivery room to hear an extraordinary birth story every week.

Hosted by Ksenija Lukich, with expert advice from Dr. Golly, you’ll hear the real life birth stories that are everything you don’t expect when you’re expecting. 

Giving birth is a transformative experience. It’s raw. It’s real. It’s miraculous. And no two stories are the same.
Diary Of A Birth brings you inside the delivery room to hear an extraordinary birth story every week.
Hosted by Ksenija Lukich, with expert advice from Dr. Golly, you’ll hear the real life birth stories that are everything you don’t expect when you’re expecting.

Diary Of A Birth

The Mum Diagnosed With Cancer Two Days Before Learning She Was Pregnant

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/3ea926be-9be7-482a-8ac3-a44f016e43d1/clips/f695060d-ab48-425d-ad4d-b2de000178cd/transcript

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