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.
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.
‘I cannot tell you how lucky I feel. When they placed her on my chest I fell in love immediately.
‘She looked so much like her father with her mop of black hair and dark brown eyes.’
Mrs Steer and her farm manager husband had been together for 18 years when he was diagnosed with inoperable cancer in 2010.
Doctors told them he had between just two and six months to live.
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.
‘It was too much to take in.’
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.
Just two days after his death Mrs Steer learned their first attempt at IVF had failed.
She said: ‘ I was so numb anyway I didn’t think it possible to feel any more grief or pain.’
But she vowed to carry on and endured another two failed rounds of treatment.
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.
She said: ‘I knew in my heart it would probably be my last attempt. I just had a strong feeling that I should try again.’
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.’
Mrs Steer named her daughter Johren – a combination of both their forenames.
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.’
Daily Mail
