Pregnant Mom With Cancer Sacrifices Herself to Save Unborn Baby

08/31/2017 03:46 pm EDT

One mom of five made the ultimate decision to sacrifice her life when she learned she was pregnant after being diagnosed with terminal brain cancer.

Carrie Deklyen was diagnosed with glioblastoma (the same brain cancer Senator John McCain was diagnosed with), an aggressive, rapidly growing malignant tumor that can affect the brain and spinal cord, in April after developing severe headaches. Doctors gave her five years to live, but her prognosis quickly worsened.

"She would wake me up in the middle of the night, screaming that her head hurt," Carrie's husband, Nick, told PEOPLE. "We knew she was dying."

She enrolled in a clinical trial at the University of Michigan, where doctors told her she was pregnant and that in order to get treatment, she needed to "terminate her pregnancy."

Nick says that Carrie made the difficult decision to forego chemotherapy treatment in order to preserve the development of their unborn daughter, who they have already named Life.

"The doctor said 'If you don't terminate this baby, Carrie, you will die,'" Nick said. "But it was Carrie's decision and I said 'What do you want to do?' She said, 'We're keeping it.'"

Since April, Carrie has had four brain surgeries. Two weeks ago she suffered a stroke and remains on life support in a "vegetative state" in the ICU at the University of Michigan. According to Nick, Carrie is currently 21 weeks pregnant. She needs to live another seven weeks for doctors to deliver baby Life.

"I look at her face and know this is what she wants and it gives me comfort," Nick says. "But right now, it's a race against time."

The family is coming to terms with losing Carrie.

"She's going to miss us, but she knows this life is so quick and we'll see each other again in Heaven," Nick says. "Knowing that gives her hope and, I know it's crazy, but I support her decision."

Nick left his job to spend as much time with Carrie as possible, and the family has organized a GoFundMe page to help with finances.

"Her time is drawing near, but I know I'll see her again, not in this life, but after my time is up I'll be with her again in Heaven," Nick says, who will raise the children on his own after Carrie is gone. "She made the decision to give Life a chance at life."

"And I couldn't be more proud."

Disclosure: PopCulture. is owned by Paramount. Sign up for Paramount+ by clicking here.