Chinese TV presenter Qiu Yuanyuan died 100 days after the birth of her son, Niannian.
The 26-year-old was thrilled when she found out she was pregnant in March.
But her joy collapsed when she was examined by doctors who found a late stage cancerous tumour.
The growth was so aggressive that it needed urgent chemotherapy treatment to stop the cancer spreading through Qiu's body – but she was warned she could lose her unborn child as a result.
Qiu then made the agonising decision to stop the treatment to save her baby's life, knowing that she wouldn't live to see her child grow up.
Doctors delivered baby Niannian by Caesarean section in September. He was two months premature and weighed just 3lbs.
The courageous mum continued with the chemotherapy for another 20 days, but doctors said the chances of her being cured were extremely low.
They advised Qiu to halt her remaining therapy and go home to Zhengzhou in Henan province with her baby son.
She died at her home on Wednesday evening (Dec 17), after her family held a feast to celebrate the baby's 100th day since his birth – a traditional custom widely practiced by Chinese families.
Qiu's husband, who worked as a journalist at the same TV station as Qiu, was away from home when she died.
Speaking to the Zhengzhou Evening News he said: "Yuanyuan has passed away; the only thing I can do now is to take care our child and her family.
"I hope everyone can silently bless her and our child, and smile at life – just as Yuanyuan did."
Readers commenting on the South China Morning Post website praised the TV presenter with one commenter saying that "this is the real spirit of great sacrifice."
Other readers echoed the sentiments with one adding:" She certainly epitomises the opposite of narcissism."