Mother’s Day reveals strength across 3 generations

During chemotherapy, 30‑year‑old breast cancer survivor Natalia Kuprewicz of Chicago found strength in something small and almost unnoticeable to the outside world — the steady kicking of her unborn daughter.

“She was very active during my treatments. I could feel her giving me a good kick,” Kuprewicz said. “She was my motivation. I thought, if she’s moving, she’s OK. That calmed me down.”

This Mother’s Day, Kuprewicz will hold her healthy and thriving 7‑month‑old daughter, Lily, in her arms and celebrate the bond they built months before her first child arrived.

A diagnosis during pregnancy

After enduring two miscarriages, Kuprewicz said she was overjoyed by her pregnancy with Lily. That happiness turned to fear when doctors at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, in Park Ridge, diagnosed her with breast cancer 16 weeks into her pregnancy. But fear quickly gave way to a fierce sense of purpose. Every treatment decision, every difficult day came back to one thing: meeting her child.

“Hearing that I had cancer was stressful, but I kept doing my best to move forward without freaking out,” Kuprewicz said.

Strength across generations

Kuprewicz said her mother, Iwona Rybarska, 53, of Algonquin, was a constant source of strength and helped carry her through the hardest moments of her cancer journey.

“She was the one person I knew who 100% truly understood what I was going through,” Kuprewicz said.

That understanding came from experience.

Rybarska was first diagnosed with breast cancer in January 2017. Genetic testing later revealed she carried the BRCA gene, a mutation that increases the likelihood of developing cancer. And a gene she passed on to her daughter.

Although breast cancer is less common in younger women, the number of cases in this group continue to rise and are more likely to be linked to hereditary, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“It was so hard for me because I am the person who gave Natalia the gene,” Rybarska said. “I kept thinking this was happening because of me.”

Still, she remained strong for her daughter. Rybarska stood by her daughter’s side through appointments, treatments and difficult moments during her care.

“I was more afraid for Natalia than I ever was for myself,” she said. “But I always stayed positive.”

Rybarska’s protective instincts potentially helped save her daughter’s life. Because of her genetic testing and health history, doctors closely monitored Kuprewicz’s health and detected the cancer early, when it was most treatable.

Looking ahead

Today, both Rybarska and Kuprewicz are cancer‑free. They are back to life as usual, which includes family outings, gardening, bowling vacations and movie nights. They are looking forward to watching Lily grow and, one day, joining their mother-daughter traditions.