Fund IVF for Victoria & Liam after devastating C diagnosis

In June 2020, Victoria unexpectedly became pregnant and had an early miscarriage; it was a devastating blow with dreams snatched away in the blink of eye. The couple decided to try for a family in a ‘trying-not-trying' kinda way. They weren't taking things too seriously in terms of ovulation dates and so thought nothing of it.

They eloped in March 2022 before celebrating with family and friends in the September. Not wanting to be pregnant at either wedding, they put the baby-making plans on hold and started ‘properly’ trying at the end of the year.

Another year passed, and by this time, they were hot on the subject of menstrual cycles and the like; and yet, still nothing. By March 2024, they were getting into testing to figure out what was hampering their plans.

During an ultrasound scan, Victoria, a health professional herself, instantly knew something was wrong. The sonographer asked several questions and was very thorough when scanning the left side. The report came through the following week and advised there was a growth on her left ovary and an MRI scan was to be arranged. They would start IVF once it was dealt with. The MRI report came back within two weeks. It detailed two growths, one on each ovary. She was put on a two-week oncology pathway and waited for her appointment to come through. During a follow-up ultrasound, the team persisted in asking when her appointment with oncology would be. It wasn’t looking great.

She was invited to see a surgeon in June 2024 and was listed for surgery to remove the growths and for biopsies with the intention of keeping one or both ovaries. She was assured this was unlikely to be cancer.

Next came a trip to the fertility clinic in July 2024 for tests to check her ovarian reserve should she need to look into preserving her eggs. These tests came back really healthy; she was told she had the ovarian reserve of a woman ten years younger, which was a relief!

The surgery date rolled around at the end of July 2024. When she came round from the operation, she was told they hadn't been able to save the left ovary but had saved the right one. According to surgeons, "it was a mess in there", and there was "scarring in the omentum". When she queried what could cause this, she was told, UTI’s, miscarriages... cancer. There was a knowing look between health professionals ...

She received a notification about an upcoming appointment in August 2024 and was told she had a rare form of ovarian cancer called low-grade ovarian serous carcinoma. The stage was initially graded at 3A. The treatment was a total hysterectomy and omentectomy, which would put her into surgical menopause and she would never be able to carry her children. Ahead of the surgery, she called every fertility centre possible. Due to the risk of rupturing the remaining ovary and possibly disturbing cancer cells causing them to spread further, no one was willing to take the risk.

The big day came around quickly, and post-op Victoria and Liam were told the omentum was clear but the original histology showed there were cancer cells. The growth on the right ovary was not cancer, it was a serous borderline tumour. This took the stage down to a probable 1C, which in terms of statistics is better for survival and reoccurrence.

While dealing with a life-and-death scenario, they also had to face the desperation of wanting a biological family. Liam of course simply wanted Victoria alive, but she struggled to come to terms with three earth shattering realities simultaneously.

Fast-forward to today and Victoria is in the throes of chemotherapy and doing her utmost to fight and look to the future.

But the blows keep coming.

In her own words, "The loss of not being able to carry your child, or ‘see’ you in your child, is indescribable. But it’s not all hopeless, even when it feels like it because there is a way, we can be a family through donor eggs, Liam’s sperm and surrogacy.”

Of course, this requires IVF, and so the battle continues...

In November 2024, Victoria looked into her local Integrated Care Board policy for fertility. There is a section that states they do consider funding IVF for someone who has had a bilateral oophorectomy. She asked the oncology team to submit an individual funding request; however, this was declined based on the case not being 'exceptional enough' and because of surrogacy law in the UK.

So, the means are essentially available, but at this point only with private assistance. I'm sure I don't need to tell you that the costs can be astronomical.

Victoria and Liam are saving all they can. Close friends and family are kindly chipping in with what they can but unfortunately won't cover this, so that's why we are here today sharing their story and asking the wider network to please consider donating anything you can. Every single pound will help towards giving Victoria and Liam the hope and light they need and deserve at an already tumultuous time to put the blocks in place to start their family.

Thank you