Man told cancer treatment left him infertile expecting 'miracle' baby

The news that he was due to become a dad was bittersweet for Andrew Wresford, 37.

Having been told he was infertile due to bowel cancer treatment, he was over the moon to learn his partner Rachel Mitton, 36, was pregnant.

However, Andrew worries he may not get to see his ‘miracle child’ be born, as doctors have said he may have just months left to live.

Dad-of-four Andrew, who was diagnosed with the disease in February last year, was told he was infertile following chemotherapy.

So the pair were left stunned when Rachel fell pregnant in January, with the third child they’d always dreamed of having before Andrew fell sick.

The carpenter visited his GP after experiencing symptoms including stomach pain and gas, with a colonoscopy confirming the tumour.

Andrew’s family initially believed his condition could be managed and treated, but it spread quickly to other organs.

Just a few months after his diagnosis, he was told the bowel cancer was terminal. Then, earlier this year doctors revised Andrew’s survival time down from a few years to months, as his health began to deteriorate rapidly.

Rachel is now looking after him at home in Bradford, West Yorkshire, managing his pain and trying to prolong his life so he makes it to her September due date.

Describing his whirlwind of emotions, Andrew said: ‘I’m scared about how is Rachel going to cope without me but excited about the fact we’re having another child.

‘I’m also emotional that I’m not going to be around to meet my son.’

Rachel said she was shattered to be losing her ‘rock and best friend’, but that their new son would let ‘another part of Andrew’ live on.

‘Me and Andrew had wanted another child so, it was just meant to be – our little light in the dark,’ she said.

‘As heartbroken as I am about having to bring up our children without my rock and best friend, this baby means another part of Andrew will always be with me – a true gift.

‘I couldn’t quite believe the timing of the pregnancy and I was quite anxious about it initially, with Andrew’s health being my priority.

‘But life should always be celebrated and I know this baby boy will bring everyone some much-needed love and joy, even in the hardest of times.’

The family managed to get some time together earlier this year, before Andrew’s condition deteriorated and he had to have a stoma bag put in.

‘He has dramatically changed physically,’ said Rachel.

‘It was really heartbreaking to see him wasting away. He is 6ft 2in and was always big and strong.’

Although Andrew had been given chemotherapy despite his prognosis, in the hope that it would slow down the speed of his decline, he opted not to go ahead with the next cycle due to how sick it made him feel.

His sister Jackie Hamilton, 48, who flew back from living in Australia to be with him, commented: ‘They said if he was going to have chemotherapy again, it was now or never but they couldn’t guarantee it was going to make him any better.

‘It is upsetting for all the family, but we are not going through it, it is not our body.’

Regarding the pregnancy news, she added: ‘It is bittersweet, mixed feelings.

‘He is never going to know his dad and my brother might not be able to see his baby being born in September. [But] it is lovely for Rachel to have another part of him.’

Jackie is helping to collect donations for Andrews family. Visit GoFundMe to donate.

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