Central Illinois family spends 1st Christmas with baby after mother’s tumor removed by Northwestern doctors

CHICAGO (WLS) — A family from central Illinois is spending their first Christmas together with their baby thanks to doctors at Northwestern Medicine.

A year ago, while pregnant with her first child, MaKenna Lauterbach developed a cough that wouldn’t go away. Doctors found a grapefruit-sized tumor in her chest cavity, completely blocking her right lung, meaning her and her baby were not getting enough oxygen.

Lauterback underwent an emergency c-section and delivered her son Colter into the world in March.

Doctors believe she likely had a melanoma on her skin before the tumor developed inside her body.

She had her entire right lung removed, as well as parts of the main pulmonary artery and lymph nodes, but her current scans show no evidence of melanoma.