I’d more chance of a lottery win... twins for mother who faced death

A BREAST cancer survivor told she had more chance of winning the lottery than of falling pregnant is this Christmas celebrating the first birthday of her twins.

Vickie Sandilands, 33, was rendered almost infertile by gruelling rounds of chemotherapy to treat a rare form of breast cancer in 2014.

But last May, Vickie and her partner Chris Jessop, 32, both from Guisborough, North Yorkshire, discovered she was expecting twins.

After five days in hospital, Ella-Rose and Sebastian Jessop, who both weighed more than 5lb, were released from hospital on Christmas Day – the best present of all for their parents.

They hope their story will provide some festive cheer for other parents and inspire them not to give up.

Vickie, a full-time mother, said: “I was told I was practically infertile after cancer treatment and that it was more likely that I’d win the lottery.

“It wasn’t until three years after my diagnosis and treatment that I started to feel really ill as though I was constantly hung over.

“I decided to take a test anyway but didn’t want to get my hopes up. We couldn’t believe it when we saw it was positive and at my two-month scan we were told it was twins. After my harsh cancer treatment I didn’t think I’d be having one baby, never mind two. They were born at nearly 37

‘I was told that I was practically infertile after chemotherapy’

weeks and they were absolutely perfect. It was the best Christmas present to have Ella-Rose and Sebastian home for December 25 last year.”

Due to Vickie’s family history of cancer, she opted to have genetic testing at the age of 28 which revealed she had the BRCA1 gene.

Two weeks after the tests, Vickie noticed her right nipple was leaking fluid and she noticed a small lump in her right breast which led to a biopsy.

Vickie said: “I had grade three breast cancer and so had to have the aggressive form of chemotherapy. All of my hair fell out. It was terrible. My dreams of having a family were ruined in an instant but I was thankful to doctors for saving my life. I’ve now had a double mastectomy as well as my ovaries and tubes out to reduce my cancer risk.”

The couple were looking into donor eggs meaning any child would not have been biologically Vickie’s.

She added: “I was desperate to be a mum and while we’d not fallen pregnant after trying for three years, I was willing to try anything. But thankfully my miracle pregnancy happened.

“Ella-Rose and Sebastian are so perfect and have completed our family. We are so grateful to be parents.

“It’s crazy that they were released on Christmas Day but it makes this time of year extra special for us.”