A woman from Rhymney has become mother to her own grandchild, by giving birth to a surrogate baby for her daughter.
Julie Bradford, 45, acted as the surrogate mother after her own daughter Jessica was left infertile as a result of cancer treatment three years ago.
Jessica, from New Tredegar, was 18 when she was diagnosed with cervical cancer, after doctors initially told her she was too young to have the disease and put her symptoms down to a sexually transmitted infection.
Before several rounds of chemotherapy, the mobile hairdresser had her eggs frozen at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff.
Jessica, now 21, said: “At hospital I had a biopsy and within three days they told me that I had cancer.
“It took two weeks before they knew how far it had spread. After a scan confirmed that the cancer was in my lymph nodes and I was told that I would never have children.
“They managed to take 21 eggs before I started chemotherapy, but only ten survived, and they were made into embryos and grown for two weeks, then frozen.
“Then in May this year we had an embryo defrosted and implanted into my mother’s womb.”
Jess and husband Rees Jenkins were with Julie as their baby son, Jack Calwyn Jenkins, was born on Friday December 2, as she became his birth mother and proud grandmother.
Julie – who has three children of her own – said: “The last three years have been the absolute worst. But I was lucky enough to have been given the chance to put things right.
“I watched Jess in such agony and so full of fear and I just wished I could take her place. There was nothing I could do to help and it felt like the cancer was in control and I felt useless.
“I’ve always known from a young age Jess has longed to become a mother just like I did. When cancer took the chance away for her to carry her own child away we were all heartbroken.
“I decided that if I could be Jess’ surrogate then I would have the control again. I was given the chance to carry Jessica and Rees’ child and it was an honour.
“We’ve spent a lot of time in hospitals and it has become normal to us. I’m just so happy that this last visit was for such a wonderful reason.”
Jess is now in remission, attends regular check-ups and scans to ensure the cancer has not returned, and is campaigning for smear tests for young women to spot health problems earlier.
She added: “My mum is the most brave and amazing woman in the world. I love her so much for giving me my son.
“From a young age I longed to become a mother and our dream has come true.
“Jack is perfect in every way.”