Miracle baby born 22 years after sperm was frozen

07.07.2010

Beckie and John Roland are celebrating the birth of their ‘miracle’ baby boy – 22 years after the cancer suffering dad had his sperm frozen.

Record-breaking Joseph Matthew Roland was born at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital and reporter Danielle Harrison spoke to the couple about their “astounding” new addition to the family.

To his parents, six-week-old baby Joe is the “little miracle” they didn’t dare to dream they could have.

At just 14, John was told he had testicular cancer. The heart-wrenching news was tough enough to handle as a teenager, but at 15 he made the wise move to bank his sperm at minus 196 degrees Celsius before undergoing chemotherapy.

Little did he know, the decision would prove life-changing just over two decades later with the arrival of beautiful baby Joe.

“After years of repeatedly battling cancer, John had been given the all-clear,” said his wife Beckie, 29, an area manager for Greggs bakers.

“Doctors said there was no need to have any more blood tests and so on. So that was when we both started thinking about the future, talking about our hopes of starting a family. Time was still precious, though, as we both knew the chances of achieving a successful pregnancy were slim.”

John’s sperm had been stored in liquid nitrogen for two decades at this point and they knew the odds were stacked against them.

The couple, of Beech Lane, Stretton, opted for a method called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) – similar to in vitro fertilisation.

However, this technique involves a single sperm being injected directly into the egg.

And now John’s case has set the UK record for the amount of time sperm has been frozen and then used in a successful pregnancy.

However, while Beckie was seven months pregnant he was told he faced a fifth battle with the disease.

“Thankfully he stabilised and he was there when I gave birth by caesarean section at 38 weeks.” Baby Joe was delivered on Thursday, June 3, and on Friday, June 11, the couple tied the knot at Burton Register Office. It’s a moment which will forever remain etched in the memories of close family and friends.

“We want our story to reach people who might be faced with similar situations. We just want to say to them; never give up and don’t lose hope – not matter how hard it gets.

NEWLY-WEDS