An Aberdeenshire woman will today (Thursday July 18), hand over a donation to the Aberdeen Fertility Centre who helped her conceive the two ‘miracle babies’, she feared she might never have.
32-year-old Lynette Mesko from St Combs, near Fraserburgh suffers from endometriosis – a painful condition that affects around two million women in the UK and raises the risk of infertility.
Following referral to the University of Aberdeen’s Assisted Reproduction Unit at the Fertility Centre in 2009, Lynette and her husband Jaro conceived their daughter Emma – now 2-years-old - through IVF treatment.
Defying the odds, they went on to conceive their son, Adam, naturally the following year – they believe due to positive impact the IVF treatment had on Lynette’s fertility cycle.
Lynette will return to the Fertility Centre today to donate the £4474 she fundraised to express her gratitude for making her dream of a family a reality.
Lynette said: “Having been diagnosed with endometriosis at the age of 19, I knew before Jaro and I married, that my chances of conceiving naturally were extremely slim.
“But I longed for the day that I would have my own child and when doctors at the Aberdeen Fertility Centre advised IVF would be our only hope of conceiving, we knew we had to try, although in our hearts we never even allowed ourselves to hope it would be successful.”
“Due to the severity of my endometriosis, it was decided only one course of treatment should be attempted before it was recommended I undergo a hysterectomy.
“At my first scan at 6 weeks, two embryos were present, but we lost one at 9 weeks and I was advised that we were at high risk of miscarrying the second.
“Throughout my pregnancy I never allowed myself to envisage actually becoming a mother, and held off buying anything for the baby. In fact it was only when I held my daughter Emma in my arms that I think I truly let it sink in that my dream had been fulfilled.”
Following the birth of Emma, Lynette returned to the medication that would prepare her body for a hysterectomy.
So it was a shock and blessing, when she discovered she was pregnant again with her son Adam, shortly after Emma’s first birthday.
Lynette continued: “They are undoubtedly my miracle babies. To have conceived Emma was beyond my greatest hopes, so when I discovered we had become pregnant naturally – something I never believed would happen for us - to say we felt blessed is an understatement.
“The doctors suspect that the IVF treatment I underwent to conceive Emma, kick-started my body’s natural fertility cycle.
“Now my family is complete and I will forever be indebted to the Aberdeen Fertility Centre and the part the staff there played in bringing me the joy of the children I have in my life.”
Lynette raised funds for the Fertility Centre by holding an IVF Charity Ball at the Tufted Duck in St Combs in June this year, which received strong support from local businesses and oil companies.
She continued: “The support we received for the event was amazing and I can’t thank people enough for the generosity they have shown.
“The donation I am making to the Aberdeen Fertility Centre goes some way to express the gratitude I feel for the first-class treatment, patience and kindness I was shown by the staff there.
“The first kiss and cuddle with my children was the greatest blessing and gift I have experienced – and I hope this donation can go some way towards giving that gift to another.”
Alison McTavish, Nurse Manager at the Assisted Reproduction Unit, which is part of the School of Medicine and Dentistry at the University of Aberdeen said: “I have worked within the Unit since it started in 1989, and it is always a pleasure to see the happiness the treatment we provide brings to people.
“IVF is an effective option for many couples, which the Unit offers to both NHS patients and those who wish to self-fund their treatment’ We are very grateful to Lynette, Jaro and their families who made the fundraising evening a success and for raising this wonderful amount of money”.
Visit www.aberdeenfertility.org.uk/ for further information on the University of Aberdeen’s Assisted Reproduction Unit at the Aberdeen Fertility Centre.