Campaign Story

My name is Paola and this is my husband Archer and my miracle baby, Penleope. Archer, Penelope and I have been a happy little family now for almost five years. Penelope is now seven years old and the itch for a sibling is at its peak. It pains me to not be able to give her the joy and honor of being a sibling. I am the youngest of four and my best and worst memories all include my siblings. I love having built in best friends and I could not imagine my life without them. I want Penelope to experiance what that feeling is like. To know there will always be someone else to confide in and love unconditionally other than myself. 
When I was 17 years old I had an abnormal Pap smear. I was told that I would need to come back in a month and have another one. When I returned and received my results it was normal. I was told I would not have to come back for three years. Life was great. I was having the best young adult years going to school, traveling, falling in love.
After a few years, way past my three year mark, I went back for another Pap smear, at the urgency of my mother. I received a call a week later and was told to come in for a biopsy because my Pap smear had come back irregular. On February 14th, I recieved a call from the doctors office. She proceeded to use a blur of medical jargon, but I didn’t hear anything after, “we need you to come in ASAP to schedule a cone biopsy to remove the cancerous cells in your cervix.” 
They immediately scheduled my procedure within the week and another Pap smear to make sure the cancer was all gone. I received the results and was told to have a consultation with a gynecological oncologist. It wasn’t gone. 
As I sat in the waiting room with my mom and dad to see the oncologist, we held hands and waited in nervous anticipation. What came next was a nightmare. The oncologist explained I had Stage One cervical cancer and I had two choices. One choice was to remove the cervix, and I could never bear children. The other was to undergo several sessions of radiation. The doctor said if I wanted a baby to do so immediately because I would most likely have to have to remove my cervix. 
I was 24 years old and I had cervical cancer. I had just six months to make a decision about having a baby. As I sat and made a life altering list, I came to the conclusion I wanted a baby. I began the IVF process about a month later. 
I was not prepared mentally or physically for what I was about to endure. My family was very supportive. Each one of my family members gave me a shot, some two or three. Even a friend from nursing school helped out with the shots. I was a pin cushion. My amazing sister iced my butt and belly and held me when I cried and wanted to give up. No one can relate to the mental and physical pain of IVF unless they have experienced it. But to me, the torture was well worth it if it meant I could bear a child. 
There was a roller coaster of emotions as I became pregnant and then miscarried. My emotions were spent and I was running out of money to keep trying. Six months after my diagnosis, my oncologist called and said,  “I’m sorry but my job is to make sure you survive, and  not to make sure you become a mother. You have cancer and have not been treating it. It has likely spread, and you are slowly killing yourself. I have set your radiation appointment for three months from now.” Time was definitely running out.
Remember that friend from nursing school? We became very great friends and he suggested we just try and have a baby. Well guess what? We did! We had a beautiful baby girl. She was 9 pounds and 22 inches, born on June 14, 2015. We named her Penelope Rose. Finally, I had my miracle baby and I could treat my cancer.  
I had my partial hysterectomy six months later, which saved my life. The cancer had spread into my uterus and I was now Stage Two. I was lucky enough to keep my ovaries. Although the doctor was very upset at me for risking my life by waiting so long for treatment, he was also very happy that I got to experience all the joys of being pregnant and being a mother. Now with a beautiful baby girl and the cancer gone, I could enjoy life again.
Fast forward some years, I meet Archer, the love of my life. He is as crazy about Penelope as he is about me, and Penelope is just as crazy about him. We bought a home, a car, and even a cat. We are now married and settled into our new life quite nicely. But there is one thing missing: a sibling for Penelope. This is achievable for us through a gestational carrier, but the price is so high that we need some help. Believe it or not, $150K is what it would cost for us to make our dream come true, so we are asking for your help.
We appreciate the time you took to read our story, and we hope you consider donating to help us out. 
Forever Grateful,Archer, Paola, Penelope, and Lila the Cat