Cath Stach underwent radical surgery to remove her cervix after a cervical cancer diagnosis, but against all odds, Cath fell pregnant and delivered her perfect little boy, Finley, exactly one year ago.
When Cath woke from her cancer surgery at Mercy Hospital for Women back in 2011, her gynaecological oncologist Dr Simon Hyde gave Cath some positive news — there would still be a small chance she could have children. Dr Hyde avoided the need to perform a hysterectomy. Instead he performed fertility-sparing surgery, called a radical trachelectomy, a surgical procedure rarely offered back then.
“The rule of thumb for successful pregnancies for women who have had a radical trachelectomy is often called the ‘rule of thirds’,” Dr Hyde explains. “About one third of these women will want to have a baby; about one third of those who want to have a baby will fall pregnant; and only a third of those who fall pregnant will be fortunate enough to take a baby home. The odds are not great, but unlike a full hysterectomy, it at least gives them a chance.”
When Cath and her partner Andy decided the time was right to think about starting a family, they reached out to Dr Hyde. He set them on a path that would take the couple through many Mercy Health specialties: gynaecology oncology; endosurgery, where Cath became only the second person to undergo a new cervical cerclage (stitch) procedure; pre-pregnancy counselling; reproductive biology; and Mercy Perinatal for her pregnancy.
The result, though, was perfect.
Baby Finley was born at Mercy Hospital for Women on June 18, 2019. Dr Hyde was one of the first people to meet the special little boy.
Miracle baby, Finley.
“Dr Hyde has been incredible,” Cath says. “I don’t live in the Heidelberg area but I wanted all of my care to be through Mercy Health with him. He’s very special to us. What he was able to do wasn’t just about saving my life, it was giving me the opportunity to have Finley. I can’t put into words how grateful I am to him and to all of the other people at Mercy who have helped us to have him.”
The family holds a special place in Dr Hyde’s heart, too.
…we still can’t help but think about how fortunate we are to have him. He’s just perfect.
“What we were able to give Cath wasn’t standard care back then,” Dr Hyde says. “So to see a great outcome for this young family really is a good news story. I couldn’t be happier for Cath and Andy.”
Precious family times for Cath, her partner Andy and baby Finley.
Knowing the odds of having a baby were against Cath, she and Andy did what they could to increase their chances, but they were realistic about the likelihood.
“We tried to keep a level head about the whole thing, and did our best not to put too much pressure on ourselves, knowing that it may never have happened,” Cath says. “Even though Finley is one now, we still can’t help but think how fortunate we are to have him. He’s just perfect.”
Last reviewed July 29, 2020.