Brighton cancer survivor said she was infertile, welcomes daughter

Caroline Lettres, from Brighton, was revealed in September 2016 that she had been diagnosed with aggressive breast cancer after she found a lump in her left breast while putting on a dress for her 31st birthday.

“I was desperate, I felt young and fit,” she said.

“I just thought about all the things I hadn’t done, including not having kids.

“I was already at the age where I needed to seriously consider having children, and this diagnosis shattered that dream.”

A month after the diagnosis, Caroline was put on a list for an investigational drug called olaporib.

Her tumor was classified as “extremely aggressive,” and doctors hoped the experimental drug would stop the cancer from growing and spreading while shrinking the cancer cells.

After undergoing three months of radiation therapy, 19 chemotherapy sessions and surgery to remove the tumor in her breast tissue, the medics broke the news that she would likely never have a baby naturally due to the side effects of the treatment.

Caroline was given the test drug olaporib (Image: SWNS)

“I asked a doctor if I would ever have children and they just shook their heads,” she said.

“It has been made quite clear that it is very unlikely for me and would most likely miss the NHS IVF window given my age.

“I already knew I was fighting the clock, but you always think you have more time.

“I was devastated and heartbroken that my dream of having a baby was over.”

Caroline began the study in October 2016 and seven months later found her cancer was gone.

She was then “over the moon” to discover in January 2019 that she was pregnant with Renee-Rose McFalon, now three.

Renee Rose was born in 2019 (Image: SWNS)

The 37-year-old stay-at-home mum said: “I never thought I would be here today, let alone have a beautiful daughter.

“When I was told I had no chance of having children, I lost all hope.

“I’ve always wanted to be a mom.

“So when I found out I was pregnant, I was in complete disbelief.

“It was the best shock ever.”

She dated her child’s father Eric McFalon, 56, who works on offshore oil rigs, for just three months before finding out they were pregnant.

Despite splitting up with Renee-Rose before she was born, they are happily co-parents to their daughter.

Renee-Rose was born at Worthing Hospital on September 13 weighing 6 pounds.

Caroline Lettres, Eric McFalon and Renee Rose (Image: SWNS)

“Motherhood is magical, I thought I was going to have a boy and then when I found out I was having a girl my world was complete,” Caroline said.

“I felt whole for the first time.

“I never thought I would feel as happy as when I was told I was cancer free, but then along came Renee-Rose.

“I can’t believe Renee-Rose is the first baby born after this new miracle drug.”