Christina Dejebah, from Nottingham, feared she would never conceive naturally but has astounded predictions by becoming a mother
PA Real Life
Aggressive chemotherapy and radiotherapy stopped 31-year-old Christina Djebah’s periods, calling into question whether or not she would ever be able to conceive naturally.
But, in a poignant twist of fate, her period returned on the morning of her wedding to now-husband Ero, also 31, in June last year.
Just three months later, she found out she was expecting twin girls.
She said: “Because of my age, oncologists told me my period may never come back, and even if it did, I would have to wait two years before trying to get pregnant in case my cancer returned.
“But I didn’t want to live in fear. Plus, I’d had it confirmed that the chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment I’d had didn’t post a threat to my unborn children. I couldn’t let cancer win.”
PA Real Life
She said: “I had no symptoms at all.
“I was really fit and healthy. I trained twice a day at the gym and felt absolutely fine.
“Then, one day I was in the shower and felt a lump, which was painful to touch. I immediately thought, ‘Oh God, what on earth is that?’”
Christina, from Nottingham, acted quickly, booking an emergency doctors appointment the very next day.
She was warned she may have to wait up to two weeks for a referral to a breast specialist but, luckily, she received a call saying a vacant appointment had been found for later that week.
Then, just seven days after first finding the lump, she received the official diagnosis that she had grade three breast cancer.
She recalled: “I took my friend with me to the appointment. I just remember hearing her burst into tears.
“I was in a complete daze, walking back to the car just thinking, ‘I have cancer.’ I didn’t really think about myself, but more my loved ones.
“My family, my friends, my mum who I knew was waiting at home for me to get back from my appointment – I had no idea how to tell any of them.”
Surgeons removed the lump from Christina's breast and sent it away for a biopsy.
In the three weeks between her diagnosis and the operation, she raced to have her eggs frozen in case cancer left her infertile.
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After receiving the results of her biopsy, doctors confirmed that the cancer had spread into a blood vessel, and she would need chemotherapy and radiotherapy to rid her body of the disease.
She said: "For me, my cancer journey began on that chemotherapy ward. Before that, I’d felt relatively well, bouncing back from surgery quickly.
“I tried to keep things going as normal. I had my first session on a Friday and went to work on the Sunday, but I could only manage about 30 minutes before I had to go home.
“That’s when I realised that I may have to put my usual routine on hold.
“Losing my hair was also really tough. I had long, red curls so my hair was something I was known for.
“I hid behind wigs and hats a lot, but decided to post a picture without either as part of the no make-up selfie campaign. The picture went viral, with around 400,000 likes.
“It was crazy to see that many people sharing my photo, but all their supportive comments gave me the confidence to stop wearing wigs.”
PA Real Life
With a newfound “life’s too short” attitude, she organised her wedding in just six weeks.
The pair tied the knot in June – the same day her period returned, bringing with it her dreams of carrying her own child.
She said: “Most women would be gutted if their period came on the morning of their wedding, but for me, it gave me hope again.
“I just wanted to tell Ero. In the car on the way to the reception, I said: ‘Guess what? My period is back – we can start a family now.’
“We were both delighted.”
Just three months into their life as a married couple, they found out they were expecting twin girls.
Christina said: “Ero nearly fell of his chair. It was the most amazing news we could have gotten. Not only was I pregnant, but we’d have two babies.
After a healthy, happy pregnancy, little Esmee and Deseree were born via a planned Caesarean section at Nottingham’s City Hospital on 1st May this year.
Esmee weighed 5lbs 7oz, while Deseree was 5lbs 11oz.
PA Real Life
“Being a mother is absolutely amazing. I’ll never forget holding the babies for the first time after everything I have been through,” she said.
“Now, when I go out, people don’t stare at me because I’m poorly and I have no hair. They stare because I have beautiful twin girls.”
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