Woman fulfils final promise to her dying husband to have his baby

July 28, 2014  19:19

A woman gave birth to her first child two-and-a-half years after her husband died of cancer, fulfilling his dying wish.

Beating odds of 100 to one, Karen Steer conceived her daughter using sperm harvested from her husband, John, when he was dying of the disease, Daily Mail reports.

Just days after he succumbed to lung cancer, Mrs Steer, 41, learned her first attempt at IVF had failed.

But determined to fulfill her promise to make her husband a father, the widow vowed to keep trying.

The 41-year-old conceived on her fourth and final attempt, giving birth to a baby girl in May.

She said: ‘I’m so glad I kept my promise to John.

'When he died to felt like I had lost him forever, but now thanks to our baby it feels like I have a part of him back.’

Mrs Steer and her farm manager husband had been together for 18 years when he was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in 2010.

Mrs Steer, a postwoman in Swindon, Wiltshire, said: ‘We thought we had all the time in the world to get married and have a family.

While Mr Steer battled treatment to try and extend his life, his wife began fertility treatment to try and conceive their longed-for child.

A wedding was hastily arranged and they finally married after a 15-year-engagement in September 2011.

Mr Steer died a week later at the age of 43.

Before embarking on her fourth round of IVF she was warned there was just a one in 100 chance of success due to her age and egg quality.

Recalling the moment she realised she was expecting, Mrs Steer said she took her husband's ashes to the bathroom while taking the pregnancy test.

She said: ‘I just started to laugh and looked over at John’s ashes, I couldn’t believe we had done it.’

She said: ‘When John died I didn’t think I could feel happy again but thanks to the incredible gift he left me I have not stopped smiling.

‘When she smiles her whole face smiles and I know John is with us.’

 

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