Little miracle home for Christmas
Heidi spends first festive season with parents who both fought and overcame cancer during the pregnancy
AMIDLAND couple who have spent the last year battling cancer are looking forward to spending their first family Christmas with their ‘miracle’ baby.
James and Bethany Jefferson-Loveday from Evesham both faced gruelling chemotherapy sessions during the pregnancy.
James was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma – an uncommon cancer that develops in vessels and glands – in December 2021.
Knowing that treatment could make their quest for a baby more difficult, they decided to bring their plans forward – and were “over the moon” to find out Bethany was expecting just a month later.
But their joy turned to despair when the 30-year-old was diagnosed with a high grade of non-Hodgkin lymphoma – a similar form of cancer – at 21 weeks pregnant.
Bethany’s symptoms began during her first trimester.
“I started to get a severe pressure build up in my head and had the worst headaches I’ve ever experienced,” she said.
“I became breathless, unable to do my usual activities, and a hard lump appeared on my collarbone.
“But despite all of this, I was in-denial that anything was wrong. I assumed that my symptoms were pregnancy related and that the lump must have been a cyst.
“I will never forget the moment I was given my diagnosis. I remember questioning how this was possible as my husband was undergoing treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma at the time.”
Bethany recalled “the most difficult conversation of my life” with a consultant obstetrician at Worcestershire
Royal Hospital about the options for her pregnancy.
She said: “My obstetrician had to explain all the possible options for the pregnancy to me including termination. I came out of the appointment feeling like 80 per cent of my options were negative and that I had only the tiniest glimmer of hope that the pregnancy would reach a successful outcome.”
Consultant haematologist, Dr Salim Shafeek – who also treated James – formed a plan to treat Bethany with an intense course of six
cycles of chemotherapy, being admitted to the ward each time to allow her time to recover and for staff to monitor her baby.
He said Bethany would have died if treatment had been delayed, adding: “We had to get all the chemo in before 35 weeks of pregnancy to give her chance to recover before childbirth.”
Bethany said she felt “total despair” at the thought of losing her hair but James had been a great support.
“He completely understood what I was going through. He shaved my head for me when my hair started to fall out, just as I had done for him earlier in the year.
“The nurses were so kind and we
used to have a chat whilst they were giving me my chemo which took my mind off it.
“After every chemotherapy I felt a sense of celebration that I had another one under my belt and was closer to having my baby.”
After finally finishing all her chemotherapy, Bethany had a caesarean section to safely deliver their baby daughter, Heidi.
“James and I both agree that Heidi’s birthday was the best day of our lives,” she said.
“It is the happiest I have ever felt. Dr Shafeek described Heidi as a miracle and reflecting back on the past year, he is absolutely right.”
Despite what both parents had endured, Heidi was born completely
I’ll never forget the moment I was given my diagnosis. I questioned how this was possible as my husband was undergoing treatment
chemotherapy, but my obstetrician arranged for donor breastmilk at my request which was so greatly appreciated. It’s difficult to put into words how grateful we are as a family for everything they have done for us.”