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“Tasha Kann’s decision to choose her unborn baby over herself is a reminder to us as fellow believers that in the darkest of times, obedience to God will always result in His divine provision and peace and He will be glorified in the end.”
–REAGAN ESCUDÉ SCOTT
A Michigan woman suffering from an aggressive brain tumor has beaten all odds by defying her doctor’s recommendations and trusting in God and His plan for her.
Tasha Kann was 20 weeks pregnant in early summer of 2022 when she was diagnosed with anaplastic astrocytoma grade III, a rare and aggressive malignant brain tumor. Her doctors informed her that her long-term chances for survival were slim, but with immediate treatment, they believed she could live another five to eight years. There was a catch, though: She would have to abort her preborn baby girl and immediately begin aggressive courses of chemotherapy and radiation.
Tasha, a Christ-follower who already had a two-year-old son, refused to even consider terminating her pregnancy, no matter how grave her diagnosis.
“Aborting my baby was never an option to me because it goes against God’s will,” she told Fox News Digital. “I had many deep conversations with Jesus that week in the hospital and knew that if I held onto the Lord and His promises, He would keep my baby safe.”
By doing nothing, though, the brain cancer threatened her own immediate well-being. Tasha, 30, had realized that something was very wrong halfway through her pregnancy after experiencing what she thought was a migraine headache. Suddenly, she couldn’t move or stand. Believing it might be a stroke, she managed to call 911 for help. The CT scan revealed a large brain mass that would be the beginning of a long journey for Tasha and her family.
“I was a little scared, but I never lost hope,” Tasha said of her diagnosis. “I knew I had to be strong for my baby.”
As a registered nurse, Tasha also knew that chemotherapy isn’t always successful but is always taxing on the body. She took it upon herself to research holistic ways to treat her cancer as she finished out her pregnancy. She made diet changes, similar to a “Keto-like diet,” and incorporated light exercise into her daily activities.
Tasha’s baby girl, Gracey, was born in October 2022, which meant, according to her doctors’ predictions, that Tasha only had eight more months to live.
A year later, though, Tasha is still here.
“Every single day, I look at my beautiful baby and think about how easy it was for them to tell me to abort — like she [Gracey] was nothing,” Tasha said. “If I had listened — like most patients do, because they trust their doctors and don’t do their own research — my baby wouldn’t be here. It’s a miracle from God that we are both here.”
She added, “I’m grateful my dad raised me to have enough confidence in myself and put all my trust into Jesus. That’s what I did and He delivered.”
But Tasha’s journey to fight her diagnosis hasn’t stopped. This past summer, she received news that the cancer has spread and treatment options are limited. Her cancer, now classified as Gliomatosis Cerebri, is now affecting her central nervous system and lobes of the brain. Still, Tasha hasn’t lost hope. She is still firm in her decision not to receive chemotherapy or radiation, so she is now traveling to a clinic in Houston, Texas, every few weeks for a promising but still experimental immunotherapy protocol.
“I will continue to follow and pray, give thanks and worship, as long as I’m living — especially when the doctors said I shouldn’t be,” she said.
In addition to providing for Tasha physically and spiritually, the Lord saw fit to provide for her financially as well. Her treatments are not covered by insurance so her family set up a GoFundMe account to help pay for her medical expenses; as of today, supporters have donated more than $250,000. The Police Officer’s Association of Michigan has also supported Tasha with donations, as her husband, Taylor, served in law enforcement as a deputy and state trooper for a decade.
Today, Tasha remains optimistic in her continued fight against cancer.
“The doctors told me I had a prognosis of 12 months, but I beat that in June 2023,” Tasha said. “Every time I talk to them, they make it seem like I’m going to die any day, but I’m still able to live a semi-normal life — walking, eating, talking — while having cancer in my central nervous system.”
Although Tasha describes feeling “normal” most of time, things change for her by the day. Fatigue, weakness, periodic vision issues, facial numbness, and small seizure activity disrupts her day-to-day life.
“Sometimes people see me and because I’m not going through chemo and radiation, they think I’m fine,” she said. “But every day it’s a battle in my mind — I have to push myself and my body. It would be much easier to stay in bed and sleep, but that won’t help with healing the cancer.”
Tasha’s story is a testament to the blessings poured out by God when we trust in Him and obey. Many women in her position would have aborted their baby out of fear and desire to beat their illness, but even then, it wouldn’t guarantee survival. In the toughest of times, Tasha’s faith carried her through as she was obedient to the Lord and trusted in His sovereign will for her life. She expressed the selfless love of a mother who was willing to sacrifice her own life for her baby, beat the odds, and is currently seeing successful results from her treatments.
“The oncologist said she doesn’t know how it’s possible I’m still alive,” Tasha said. “How can there be any other answer than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?”
Tasha’s story is the ultimate testament of God’s sovereignty and faithfulness. He has provided her with His peace that passes understanding to see her pregnancy through to the end, given her the will and the confidence to look for a treatment that works best for her situation, provided her with wise doctors who could offer her alternative and successful treatment, and relieved her of the financial burden through it all. Because of her steadfast trust in the Lord, her story bears witness to her doctors and nurses and the rest of the world that God is truly in control.
Tasha Kann’s story should also be a reminder to us as fellow believers that in the darkest of times, obedience to God will always result in His divine provision and peace and He will be glorified in the end.
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