Mandy Allwood: ‘Octomum’ who became pregnant with eight babies before losing them all dies of cancer aged 56
A British woman who made headlines for losing all of her eight babies in 1996 has died at the age of 56 after a long battle with cancer.
Mandy Allwood lost all of her children at the age of 31 after she announced she was expecting octuplets with her boyfriend at the time, Paul Hudson.
However, the six boys and two girls to whom she gave birth over the course of three days did not survive.
Ms Allwood’s loss generated an outpouring of grief from around the world, going on to appear on Oprah’s eponymous talk show and having lunch with Princess Diana.
In 2018, she recalled the meeting with Diana, describing her as a “lovely woman”.
“We talked about her depression and my panic attacks and told me that she had been there too,” Ms Allwood told SWNS.
“We spoke about her family and she talked a lot about Charles and Camilla. She had a lovely life.
“She was a very articulate and intelligent woman, and I miss her.”
Mr Allwood went on to have three children, however, in 2007 she was charged for drink driving and subsequently lost custody of them. She went on to suffer with alcoholism and became estranged from her family.
There will be a cremation and service held in her honour on Friday 4 February in Stratford-upon-Avon; her close family declined to attend.
Ms Allwood’s friend, Mark Beard, 58, told The Sun: “She had been struggling with cancer for a while and had an operation before Christmas but told us recently that it had come back. I don’t know what sort of cancer it was.”
Beard, who runs the Yard of Ale pub in Stratford-upon-Avon, added that Ms Alwood would regularly pop in to see him at the pub.
“She blended in really well and was always up for a chat,” he said. “She was a bit eccentric and nutty but that’s why we loved her.
“She sometimes spoke about what happened to her, with the eight babies. People would often ask her about it.
“When we first met she told us who she was and she said she had been in magazines in the past but that was it.”
If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can contact stillbirth and neonatal death charity Sands on 0808 164 3332 or email helpline@sands.org.uk. The helpline is open from 9.30am to 5.30pm Monday to Friday, and until 9.30pm on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.
You can contact the Miscarriage Association helpline on 01924 200799 or email the charity at info@miscarriageassociation.org.uk. The helpline is open from 9am to 4pm Monday to Friday.
