Dreams were crushed for Leanne Reeves when she was told – at the same time husband Brad received a devastating leukaemia diagnosis – that she would most likely never have a child.
But after heartbreak spanning two decades and a cancer scare of her own, Leanne and Brad, both 44, are now planning to send their daughter to school for the first time.
Leanne defied the odds by giving birth to daughter Mia in 2012, just one week after learning of an advanced melanoma on her back, and six years after Brad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia.
Speaking to FEMAIL, the sales manager from Sydney said the pair count themselves lucky every day for finally having a family.
Sydney couple Brad and Leanne Reeves (pictured), both 44, are planning to send their daughter Mia (centre) to school for the first time after both surviving cancer battles
Speaking to FEMAIL, the sales manager from Sydney said the pair count themselves lucky every day for finally having a family
‘At the end of the day we feel very blessed to have had just one child when we were told the chances of having a family were remote after Brad’s treatment,’ Leanne said.
‘Brad says what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, and after what we have been through, we are definitely stronger.
‘It’s been a lot to deal with … having gone through the drama, it makes you realise what’s important. We’ve made changes to our life because of that.’
Leanne miraculously became pregnant in 2011 despite her executive chef husband previously undergoing four rounds of intensive chemotherapy for more than two years, placing him at high risk of becoming sterile.
Further adding to the unlikelihood of Leanne’s pregnancy was the removal of one of her ovaries after a cyst was found growing around it.
Leanne defied the odds by giving birth to daughter Mia (pictured) in 2012, just one week after learning of an advanced melanoma on her back, and six years after Brad was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukaemia
Leanne miraculously fell pregnant in 2011 despite her executive chef husband previously undergoing four rounds of intensive chemotherapy for more than two years
Leanne was told she required emergency surgery to remove an advanced melanoma on her back (pictured) on her first day of maternity leave
‘I had to recover from that which took a while, but once it was better we started to try for a baby,’ Leanne said.
‘We were absolutely blown away when we found out I was pregnant. We were over the moon and in total shock.’
But on her first day of maternity leave, Leanne was told she required emergency surgery to remove an advanced melanoma on her back.
Leanne said she was induced to have the baby sooner so that she could then have the potentially life-saving surgery.
She added: ‘I then had an agonising two weeks to see if it had spread to my lymph nodes – it was harrowing having a miracle baby but then thinking about if I will see her grow up.
Leanne described her husband’s (pictured in 2007) ordeal as ‘dire’ compared to her own, after he endured ‘two years of hell’ while undergoing chemotherapy
Brad was diagnosed after noticing he ‘wasn’t himself’ while on holidays in the Northern Territory (pictured), and deciding to go and see a doctor
‘I got the all clear … it took a bit of shine off having a baby as I was in agony and couldn’t lift her, but at the end of the day, I’m still here and it could have been a hell of a lot worse.’
Leanne described her husband’s ordeal as ‘dire’ compared to her own, after he endured ‘two years of hell’ while undergoing chemotherapy.
Brad was diagnosed after noticing he ‘wasn’t himself’ while on holidays in the Northern Territory, and deciding to go and see a doctor.
He has been in remission since early 2009, and continues to undergo yearly check-ups.