Widower calls off surrogacy 18 months after his wife dies

A widower whose wife died after an 18-month battle with cancer has revealed he is ‘indefinitely’ delaying plans to have a surrogate carry their baby.

Jake Coates’ beloved wife Emmy died in June at the age of just 31 after an 18-month battle with thyroid cancer.

The pair longed to become parents and shortly before she died, doctors harvested Emmy’s eggs and Jake’s sperm to leave nine viable embryos.

Their former schoolmate Liz Begg then volunteered to carry their baby after reading Emmy’s heart-wrenching blog which documented her cancer battle. 

Jake Coates’ beloved wife Emmy (pictured together) died in June at the age of just 31 after an 18-month battle with thyroid cancer

The couple's former schoolmate Liz Begg (shown right) volunteered to carry their baby after reading Emmy's heart-wrenching blog which documented her cancer battle

The couple’s former schoolmate Liz Begg (shown right) volunteered to carry their baby after reading Emmy’s heart-wrenching blog which documented her cancer battle

But after two failed attempts, Pride of Britain winner Mr Coates has decided to halt treatment.   

He told the Daily Mirror: ‘Liz [the couple’s surrogate] has been the most selfless, kind, thoughtful and gorgeous person throughout this whole process.

‘She has had to endure physical as well as emotional turmoil over the last 18 months because of our choices – more than she ever deserved or asked for, and I know she would do it all over again 1,000 times and more.

‘After two failed attempts and more consideration than any of you could ever imagine, I have decided to step back from the surrogacy journey and delay it indefinitely.

The pair longed to become parents and shortly before she died, doctors harvested Emmy's eggs and Jake's sperm to leave nine viable embryos

The pair longed to become parents and shortly before she died, doctors harvested Emmy’s eggs and Jake’s sperm to leave nine viable embryos

Brave Emmy died thinking she was set to become a mother as she and Jake sat beside Liz while doctors implanted the embryos

Brave Emmy died thinking she was set to become a mother as she and Jake sat beside Liz while doctors implanted the embryos

‘I cannot thank her enough for all that she has done and continues to do for me and all of Emmy’s family and friends.

‘But more than that, I cannot thank her enough for what she gave Emmy… for she gave Emmy and I hope.

‘Allowed us to dream about a future Coates baby… and it filled us both with so much positivity and kept us both going when the days were darkest.

‘Thank you Liz. You are actually an angel. And I will always believe that Emmy has that first baby up with her in heaven.’ 

Brave Emmy died thinking she was set to become a mother as she and Jake sat beside Liz while doctors implanted the embryos.

Three weeks later they discovered Liz was pregnant – but just hours later Emmy slipped into a sleep and never properly woke up.

In a further devastating blow to Jake, just days after his wife’s death doctors discovered the pregnancy was ectopic. 

The inspirational couple also went on a 2,000km tandem bike ride from London to Copenhagen in their bid to raise funds

The inspirational couple also went on a 2,000km tandem bike ride from London to Copenhagen in their bid to raise funds

Emmy, from Luckington, Wiltshire, who had been plagued with symptoms such as diarrhoea, tiredness and enlarged lymph nodes, was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer

Emmy, from Luckington, Wiltshire, who had been plagued with symptoms such as diarrhoea, tiredness and enlarged lymph nodes, was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer

Jake met his childhood sweetheart Emmy when they were both 11 years old.

The couple – childhood sweethearts who drifted apart for university – were overjoyed when they got back together in 2015, despite Mr Coates working as a doctor in Sydney and Ms Collett as a teacher in London.

They used to speak to each other on FaceTime every day and travelled back and forth across the world to maintain their relationship.

But within six months of them getting back together, the couple received the devastating news weeks after a holiday to the Philippines.

Emmy, from Luckington, Wiltshire, who had been plagued with symptoms such as diarrhoea, tiredness and enlarged lymph nodes, was diagnosed with a rare type of cancer.

He immediately flew back to the UK to be by her side and proposed just weeks later. 

Just as the pair were due to go on holiday, Emmy was told cancer had already spread to her spine, lungs, liver and bones – and she could never give birth.

She was taken to the Royal Marsden Hospital and was told she could have made a full recovery if the disease had been diagnosed earlier.

But she bravely fought the cancer and raised tens of thousands of pounds for the Royal Marsden Cancer Charity.

The inspirational couple also went on a 2,000km tandem bike ride from London to Copenhagen, via Bruges and Amsterdam, along the North Sea Cycle Route, in their bid to raise funds. 



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