Katie Smith Griffies dreamed of starting a family with the man of her dreams.

She told an audience at Clanton First Baptist Church on Thursday her memories of giving birth to her second daughter.

“Nothing about this birth story was typical,” Griffies said.

Griffies gave birth while being treated for a “highly rare and aggressive form” of breast cancer.

She told her story at the annual Chilton County Relay For Life Survivor Breakfast.

Griffies was diagnosed on June 3, 2015, with Stage 3 cancer while she was 29 weeks pregnant at age 31, and with a young daughter at home.

She was familiar with the disease but unprepared for her own battle.

“Nothing was ever said about having to fight for your own life while trying to grow another,” Griffies said.

Griffies said she drew strength from her daughter Isabella’s faith in God and her husband’s unwavering support.

The couple’s second daughter was born healthy—and with evidence that Griffies’ chemotherapy hadn’t affected her, as the mother had worried.

Griffies said her husband told her: “Baby, she’s got hair.”

Griffies was presented with gifts of a blanket and Girl Scouts cookies.

After her speech, Dori Lawrence, the Survivor Breakfast sponsor, read a poem; and Chloe Haggard and Mary Henning Dale.

All survivors at the breakfast were presented with sashes.

The Survivor Breakfast kicks off a weekend full of Relay For Life activities.

Bank Day, when Relay teams turn in their donations, will be held from 4-7 p.m. at West End Baptist Church in Clanton.

Relay will be held from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday at Clanton City Park. For much more information about the event, see the special section inside Friday’s newspaper.