'Miracle baby' born to London couple from frozen ovary gives hope to others
'When we heard her heartbeat it was a magical moment,' mum Shana told ITV News
The first baby born in England from a frozen ovary is giving hope to others left infertile by procedures such as chemotherapy.
Baby Sienna was born to ecstatic parents Shana and Charles Pear in Barnes, south west London after the couple thought they may never have children.
Shana was diagnosed with an aggressive form of breast cancer just months after getting married at a time when she was thinking of having children.
Because her cancer was so severe there was no time for IVF which can take months.
'Life crashing down'
"I was diagnosed in February 2018 and only got married in October 2017 and we were ready to start our life together," Shana told ITV News. "And when I got the diagnosis it felt like my whole life was crashing down. The first few weeks are the hardest, making a treatment plan and wondering if you're going to live. "I had Stage 3 cancer and had radiotherapy right away which meant no time for IVF."
Sienna's birth is a big step forward for medical science after a decade of work in the NHS to help couples have treatment after cancer treatment.
The programme, called the National Paediatric Fertility Preservation Service, does not receive any money from the government and is supported by doctors, nurses and lab workers who think their work may benefit thousands of cancer patients.
The service is run by Sheila Lane, a consultant paediatric oncologist and Oxford University lecturer, who said Sienna's birth at John Radcliffe Hospital was proof of concept.
"I was in Oxford getting my ovary removed and the week after that I started chemotherapy," Shana said. "When you think about cancer you think about death but I had people talking to me about hope for the future and starting a family. "I was numb at first and trying to get through it but having the hope of a future family is what I held onto throughout." "The team [in Oxford] were so amazing. [Gynaecologist] Dr Christian Becker was outstanding an just so caring," she added.
Tap below to see full video report by Rachael Brown
For mum Shana and dad Charles the past few years have been a rollercoaster of emotion but having hope and looking to the future has helped the couple pull through.
Shana added: "It's something I've always dreamed about since I was little, it's the best thing! Such a miracle!
"I couldn't imagine my life any other way. Sienna is such a social, happy baby.
"When we heard her heartbeat it was a magical moment. After having cancer you don't know what your body will do to you. "It was the most special thing when we heard her heartbeat, we cried. And the day she was born was magical and could not believe it."
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