Natalie Lobodzinski was only four years old when she was diagnosed with muscle cancer. She had rhabdomyosarcoma, an extremely rare form of her cancer.
She went through several rounds of chemotherapy and radiotherapy early on in her life. She was in remission by the time she was five, and her family and doctors believed her struggle was over.
Then, she relapsed. After more chemotherapy, doctors decided the best possible treatment was a radioactive implant—in the form of brachytherapy. The transplant was inside her for 48 hours.
“I was the first child in the UK they did it on,” says Natalie. “Everyone thought I was going to die—it was the last thing they could do. It was the only way they could kill the cancer.”
It worked, but not without cost. The transplant caused damage to her bladder, hips and pelvis. Her reproductive system was affected, too—she only has one working ovary, and very few eggs.
Her uterus is also damaged, to the point where it is impossible for her to carry children.
Natalie has always known she wanted to be a mother, but has also always known that she can’t have children.
Now, she’s looking to settle down. Her boyfriend wants a child, too. Her mother may be the solution.
She’s offered to be the surrogate, which would mean that Natalie and her boyfriend have to undergo IVF.
In a touching statement on the couple’s fundraising page, Natalie’s mother wrote: “I have watched Natalie suffer most of her life, and she has grown into a beautiful, caring woman that I’m proud to have as a daughter…I also have a dream, Natalie, and that is to see you—my baby—hold your baby and feel my love for you expand to my grandchild.”
However, their healthcare won’t pay for IVF procedures carried out through a surrogate. So they’ve started a page to help their cause.
If they do raise enough money to get the IVF procedure, that would be a dream come true. In the meantime, Natalie is just thankful for her mother’s support. “She’s my rock. I wouldn’t have gotten through all this without her.”
The link to their fundraising page is here.
