Woman who beat cancer at 21 tells of heartbreak at being told she’d gone through menopause before her mother
Becki McGuinness, now 30 and cancer-free, says she 'kicks herself' for not freezing her eggs when she had the chance
A WOMAN who once dreamed of giving birth has been told she won’t ever have children as she’s already gone through menopause – before her 53-year-old mother.
Becki McGuinness, 30, is now urging young women with cancer to freeze their eggs before starting treatment so they don’t have to go through the same pain.
Diagnosed with bone cancer in 2008 when she was just 21 years old, Becki is now coming to terms with the fact she will never give birth or adopt as a result of ongoing medical conditions.
Despite being given the all-clear for cancer in 2009, Becki said she is “dying inside” at the thought of a childless future.
The 30-year-old says she now “kicks herself” for not freezing her eggs when she had the chance.
In a bid to make sure no woman goes through the same heartache, Becki has launched a campaign to raise awareness about egg freezing before undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy.
Working with Create Fertility, The Vicious Cycle campaign urges women faced with cancer to seek advice from fertility specialists upon diagnosis.
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Reflecting on the two-week gap between her diagnosis and the start of her treatment in 2008, Becki told the Daily Mirror: “Doctors knew in the May of 2008, but we were told in June, then my treatment started in July.
“The thought of my fertility being affected was a constant for me and there were these periods of time where I could have frozen my eggs.
“We were actively asking them to save my eggs and nobody was going out of their way to discuss this with us.
“For them, they are understandably so set on saving your life, they forget the impact losing fertility so young will have on a person afterwards.”
The 30-year-old, who cannot adopt due to long-term health conditions, said she now lives “half a life” because her maternal urges will never be met.
Speaking on the importance of considering freezing one’s eggs before cancer treatment, Dr Nargund, from Create Fertility, said: "When a woman is diagnosed with cancer, it can be hard to think about future fertility, however it is essential to discuss future fertility options.
We cannot deny women of their chance of motherhood in the future
Dr Nargund
"It is increasingly discussed now and we need to continue with raising awareness about the latest advances and options.
"For young girls during pre-pubertal period, fertility preservation is possible only with freezing ovarian tissue for future transplantation.
"We cannot deny women of their chance of motherhood in the future."
For more information about Becki's campaign, and to donate, visit The Vicious Cycle.
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