'When I was diagnosed with breast cancer, I was afraid this moment would never come.'

“When I was diagnosed, I was afraid this moment would never come. That I’d never hold my child, feed him in my arms from my body.”

“Now, I hope that some woman who is just being told sees this and knows….there’s hope.”

Those are the words of a mother who was able to breastfeed her son while fighting breast cancer.

A beautiful and honest image of the anonymous woman has resonated with over 8,000 as it tells the story of the five months she got to spend nursing her baby.

Baby Rose Photography posted the stunning photo on their Instagram account, sharing her story. While we see the mother gazing down at her son as he feeds from her left breast, her right shows a mastectomy scar.

“This powerful mama waited seven years for this miracle child, she kept one breast so that when he arrived, she could feed him,” the photographer captioned the image.

“She’ll return to the medication keeping her cancer at bay in two weeks, giving up this precious time nursing her child. Were the five months worth it? Of course they were.⠀

“Women are warriors; women fight and nurture. Women grind their teeth, tuck their chins and lean into the storm. Women have it in their hearts and bones to continue; we must and so we will.”

Many women are able to breastfeed after undergoing breast cancer surgery, the Australian Breastfeeding Association says. Scars and tissue damage can make this difficult, so women should always seek professional medical advice before doing so.

Holly Wainwright and Christie Hayes are joined by a panel of experts to discuss the ongoing battle many mums face trying to breastfeed their babies on the Year One podcast below.