24-year-year-old Manaswani Bellamkonda died last week after battling an aggressive form of cancer, diagnosed during her pregnancy. Photo/Facebook
A Hamilton woman has died after a short but fierce battle with cancer just four weeks after giving birth.
Manaswini Voora was 25 weeks into her first pregnancy when she found out she had terminal cancer.
Her husband of two years, Jay Krishna Bellamkonda, told Fairfax she used all her strength for their baby.
"Whatever strength she had, she [used] for the baby," Bellamkonda said.
Bellamkonda is speaking out in the hope that doctors will take people seriously when they complain of severe pain.
He said his wife was initially told by doctors that her shortness of breath, difficulty walking and severe pain were probably related to the pregnancy.
"She got pushed away from every doctor, GP, midwife," he said.
The 24-year-old died on November 19, with her husband and newborn baby by her side, after an aggressive four-month battle with lung cancer that spread to her hip and liver.
Her son Vayun Bellamkonda was delivered by ceasarean section, premature, but healthy.
However, Voora quickly went downhill.
The High Commission of India helped fund sending her body back to India.
A Givealittle page - created to help raise money to bring her family over from India - raised $30,449.
Bellamkonda said he and his son would eventually head back home, but their lives would never be the same.
"It's hard to go back home without her. I have got good memories. I am so used to being with her."
The New Zealand Tulugu Association has been advocating for the family and posted on Facebook that she was farewelled in Manukau on Thursday.
The flight was on its way to Auckland when it was forced to return to Christchurch.