A bride who lost her husband two days into their marriage has given birth to twins, two years after he died.
Gavin Bowen froze his sperm when he was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma - a rare disease where cancer cells are found in young men. After his wife, Kelly, gave birth to their son, Shay, the couple decided they wanted another, but Gavin passed away before Kelly conceived.
“Before he passed away, we decided we wanted a brother or sister for Shay, but he passed away too soon. After he passed, I thought, ‘I am going to continue to do it’”
Kelly, 25, conceived on her third round of IVF, and was delighted to find she was expecting twins. Ruby Grace and Chaise Gavin arrived nine days early at the Prince of Wales Hospital, Bridgend.
Kelly’s story comes as the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) changed its policy on the use of men’s sperm after they have died.
Women now have to have the man’s written consent to use their sperm after death. The policy change was in response to a 42-year-old woman from London who exported her dead husband’s sperm to America to undergo fertility treatment with it there.
