Mother battling cancer for a second time prepares to give birth

    BIRMINGHAM, Alabama (WVTM) -- Life is filled with miracles and challenges, and right now, one local family is living through both.

In November 2021, Alycia and John Gibbons welcomed their son Robbie into the world. Now, they're expecting again, but under very different circumstances.

Pain resulted in trips back and forth to the emergency room for Alycia. Doctors were already discussing inducing her labor, when they learned just weeks ago, that Alycia's cancer had returned. She was first diagnosed in 2018, at 20-years-old.

"It was called anaplastic carcinoma, which means they didn't really know the origin of it. It was just kind of in my abdomen," Alycia said. "I had two very massive tumors, they were the size of a football and the size of a softball on my bladder and above my ovary."

Alycia began treatment in February 2018. By July 2019, she said the cancer was gone.

"So they finished the treatment course that they had planned into February of 2020, and that that was the end of that one," Alycia said.

Highs and lows would follow. Robbie was born in 2021. Then Alycia had a miscarriage in 2023.

But, in August, Alycia learned she was pregnant again. She's at 34 weeks and expected to be induced Tuesday at UAB Hospital. Just weeks after baby Hank's birth, treatment could begin.

As they navigate what's next, this family is leaning on their faith and soaking up every second.

"I was telling my wife, you know, I was thinking about work and trying to organize, you know, everything for my business, and it's like man, I would lose 100 businesses to spend a day with you; that doesn't matter at all," John said. "Time is precious, time is the only commodity anybody has, and it's not ours, it's God's."

Alycia said she feels the same way, approaching the unknown with unwavering faith.

"God has been sovereign, and he is sovereign over everything," Alycia said. "He's predestined everything the way it's supposed to happen, and we have hope in that."

As Alycia prepares to fight for a second time, she said she looks forward to seeing how it will all play out.

"The first time was a miracle in itself, and this time, with a baby, it's more nerve-wracking, but we have more hope," Alycia said.