29-year old Natalie Lobodzinski was only four years old when she was diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a rare form of muscle cancer.
Despite undergoing several rounds of chemo and radiotherapy, she sadly relapsed and doctors were left with no choice but to try brachytherapy which involved implanting her with a radioactive implant.
She was the first to child to ever receive this treatment in the united kingdom. She told the Mirror, “I was the first child in the UK they did it on. Everyone thought I was going to die it – it was the last thing they could do. It was the only way to kill the cancer.”
Although this breakthrough treatment helped her survive her illness, it came at a price: undergoing it would leave her unable to conceive naturally. The implant had left damage on her pelvis and surrounding areas.
“I’ve always wanted children,” Natalie told the Mirror, “There’s an 11-year age gap between me and my sister Sarah, so I looked after her a lot growing up and it gave me a glimpse into what being a mom would be like.”
“It’s getting harder the older I get. All my friends have children, and I used to think I’d be the same – married with kids and a house by the time I was 30.”
But this Christmas, her wish is coming true. Her mom, 53-year-0ld Janet Walker, is giving her the gift of becoming the surrogate mom who will bring Natalie and her partner’s future baby into the world.
Their parenthood journey has only just begun
Currently, Natalie and her partner Aaron Buckley, 26, are trying to raise funds for the in vitro fertilization process to begin.
However, since her mother will be functioning as their surrogate, Natalie’s in vitro fertlization cannot be funded by her Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG).
Trafford CCG’s assisted conception policy states that they will not provide for any form of fertility treatment “due to the numerous legal and ethical issues involved” in these types of surrogacy arrangements.
Natalie has since tried to appeal the decision with the help of her doctor but to no avail.
Her partner, Aaron, took the precaution of having his sperm frozen six months ago, so now the couple just have to wait patiently to be able to raise enough funds for Natalie’s eggs to be extracted.
In a touching message on her YouCaring page called ‘Natalie wants a baby: Her cancer said no, we say yes’ , her mother wrote: “I have watched Natalie suffer most of her life, and she has grown into a beautiful, caring woman that I’m proud to have as a daughter.”
She also writes, ” She always smiles no matter how bad things get and has a lot of love to give. She would make an amazing mom. I also have a dream Natalie, and that is to see you – my baby – hold your baby and feel my love for you expand to my grandchild.”
READ: 11-year-old delivered her mom’s baby before going to school
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