I had two babies after docs said my rare bone cancer meant I’d never conceive
AT just 26 years old, Cara Newton was devastated by a rare bone cancer diagnosis.
And after 12 months of chemotherapy, her dreams of starting a family were shattered when doctors told her she could not conceive.
Her body had been plunged into early menopause and not even IVF was an option.
So Cara and husband Chris were stunned when she became pregnant three years after finishing her treatment and later gave birth to son Seb, now five.
And amazingly, she went on to have a SECOND child — daughter Jessica, two.
Now she wants the story of her two natural pregnancies to offer hope to other women facing infertility from cancer treatment.
Cara, now 36, says: “To be given a zero per cent chance of conceiving was a living nightmare. But when I look at our children I have to pinch myself they’re actually ours.”
In April 2009, Cara felt pain in her left leg.
At first, she thought it was a torn muscle — until she went for a routine hospital appointment.
But full-time mum Cara, 36, from Fleet, Hants, says: “I was terrified when I heard the word ‘cancer’.
“I started treatment the following week. Everything became a blur. Desperate to start a family of my own, I asked doctors to freeze my eggs before starting chemotherapy.
“My plea was rejected as my cancer Ewing sarcoma was so aggressive that without immediate treatment I risked the disease spreading across my body. I underwent 12 months of this gruelling chemotherapy, causing my body to start early menopause.
“The cancer was so bad there was a chance my leg would be amputated. But surgeons removed the bone affected by cancer in my upper leg and replaced it with a metal rod and knee joint.”
One year after her diagnosis doctors admitted IVF would not be an option.
Cara says: “I was told I could not have it with my own eggs as they had been destroyed.
“My body was in menopause and I had no periods. In October 2012 they let me try one round of IVF with a donor egg.
“But it failed and doctors said putting me through the process again could never result in a baby.”
Cara decided to try conception naturally, despite medics believing this would be totally unfeasible. She says: “In November 2012 I began tracking when I was ovulating and trying to make a baby at the right times.
“A few weeks later I took a pregnancy test. As the blue lines appeared it barely seemed real.
“Being pregnant was hard. I had morning sickness, gestational diabetes and Intrahepatic Cholestasis, which impaired my liver function.
“But it didn’t faze me. I was going to have a child and doctors were shocked but so delighted that we had never given up.”
On April 24, 2014, Cara and Chris welcomed their miracle baby into the world.
She remembers: “It was such a relief my body had been able to produce something so perfect.”
But in January 2016, Cara noticed another lump on her left leg. The non-cancerous mass contained fluid caused by her body rejecting the metal rod.
Despite this concern, Cara and Chris were keen to try for a second child, even though doctors did not know if they could conceive again.
Cara says: “They said trying for another child wouldn’t be dangerous while my body rejected the metal prosthesis, so we began trying in April 2016.
“We were over the moon when I fell pregnant again just weeks later.
“Jessica was born on January 27, 2017 and our family was complete.”
Cara’s new metal prosthetic was inserted by surgeons last November.
She says: “My body might reject the rod again and I might need my leg amputated.
“My most recent surgery was just six months ago as medics are always trying to strengthen my leg.
“But for now I’m enjoying being a mummy and Chris is my rock.
“Seb and Jessica know I’ve got a poorly leg and they’ll often try to ‘kiss it better’, which is adorable.”
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Project Manager Chris, 38, says: “I couldn’t be prouder of my amazing, brave wife.”
Cara adds: “I would tell anyone affected by infertility to never give up hope.
“We were told there was a zero per cent chance I’d ever have children of my own — but look at us now.”
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