A teen mother who refused cancer treatments while pregnant to protect her unborn daughter tragically passed away last week.

When Dana Scatton was 17 and pregnant, she found out she had an inoperable brain tumor. Instead of immediately undergoing radiation treatment to potentially prolong her life, she delayed treatment to protect her unborn baby, whom she gave birth to in January — just days before Scatton turned 18.

A Facebook page run by Scatton’s family shared the sad news last Monday.

“This morning shortly before 4am, Dana left us to be with the lord,” the family announced. “We may never have the right things to say to truly honor the amazing, smart, loving, caring, passionate, incredibly beautiful and free spirited mother, daughter, niece, sister, cousin, friend and independent woman Dana was every day.”

Scatton, a Christian and one of nine children herself, “inspired us all to be better than who we are and to keep God in our focus at every moment,” the post continues. “She faced the greatest fear of all, death, and smiled back with a grin only God can instill. She fought harder than the toughest warriors known to man and did it with grace and valor.” – READ MORE