Woman shares story of her 'miracle' twins
A Victorian mother who fought cancer and infertility to give birth to healthy twin boys has shared her story in the hope it will inspire other women.
Alena Tarr’s dream came true with the birth of now seven-week-old babies Cody and Jai.
With husband Mark, she struggled for three years to fall pregnant before doctors discovered the cause of Alena’s infertility, polycystic syndrome.
Several exploratory surgeries found early stage uterine cancer, a disease usually detected when it is well advanced.
“I just thought ‘I’m not going to let cancer define me, I’m going to keep living and I’m going to have a baby’,” she told 7News.
Alena started a stringent health regime and lost 40 kilograms.
Remarkably, following her treatment for her cancer, Alena began IVF treatment, but fell pregnant naturally with twins.
‘I’ve not seen one like this before… a lady with that degree of disorder of lining of the uterus to then get pregnant with twins spontaneously,” obstetrician Dr John Regan said.
The Australian Multiple Births Association said it only hears of one woman a year who has battled cancer and gone on to have twins.
“I can honestly say I think it’s as close as you can get to a miracle,” Elanor Fala from the association said.
Alena is hoping her story will help other women with health issues like her.
“I would say to those people, ‘don’t give up hope’,” Alena told 7News.
