A couple who struggled to have a baby for 12 years have finally welcomed a little boy at Crewe's hospital - after their pals rallied around to raise £8k for IVF.
Zoe Nickless, 37, and husband, Ben, 42, decided to try and start a family shortly after getting married in April 2011.
After trying for two years, they began having medical investigations and eventually turned to a fertility clinic for help.
Zoe Nickless, 37, and husband, Ben, 42, decided to try and start a family shortly after getting married in April 2011 (SWNS).
In 2015 they had intrauterine insemination - where the sperm is injected directly into the womb.
After that failed, the couple moved onto IVF - where the eggs are removed from the body and fertilised in the lab.
Their first round was funded by the NHS and their second, costing £7k, paid for privately - but both sadly failed.
They underwent a third round in October and, to their delight, Zoe fell pregnant with their little boy, Billy.
But at 25 weeks, in March 2021, Billy was born stillborn, leaving the parents heartbroken - and one final self-funded IVF attempt failed too.
Worried they wouldn't be able to afford another shot, the pair's friends and family encouraged them to set up a GoFundMe page - which raised £1,000 in just one day.
In four weeks the pair raised the £8,000 needed to pay for another final three rounds of IVF - thanks to the kindness of 160 friends, family and strangers.
Teddy Nickless, now five weeks, was born on June 15, 2023, three weeks ahead of his due date, at Leighton Hospital (Ryan Parker).
After travelling to Cyprus for the treatment, in October 2022 their seventh round saw them conceive another little boy.
Their son, Teddy, now five weeks, was born on June 15, 2023, three weeks ahead of his due date, at Leighton Hospital.
Proud mum Zoe credits the 160 kind people who rallied around to make it possible.
Zoe, a theatre venue assistant, from Cheshire, said: "After the first couple of rounds of IVF, we were going to give up.
"But lockdown reminded us we still did really want children in our life, so we kept trying.
"After losing Billy, I had an evening where I just sat crying and crying.
"But that's when a friend said to me, you really should consider starting a GoFundMe page because there's a lot of people who want this for you.
Proud mum, Zoe Nickless, credits the 160 kind people who rallied around to make the birth of her son Teddy possible (SWNS).
"Amazingly, it only took four weeks to raise the money - and it was amazing to walk out with a baby from the same hospital that we previously left empty handed.
"If it wasn't for the GoFundMe and the generosity and good hearts of everyone, we wouldn't have Teddy.
"So he's not just our baby, but everyone's - and we are forever grateful."
Zoe and Ben had already tried a round of artificial insemination and three rounds of IVF when a friend suggested they set up a fundraiser.
This included having their stillborn son Billy in March 2021, which left the couple heartbroken.
But at £7k per round of IVF, they knew they couldn't afford to keep trying without help.
When a friend suggested the couple set up a fundraising page, Zoe and Ben decided "it wouldn't hurt" to give it a go.
Zoe Nickless said if it wasn't for the GoFundMe and the generosity and good hearts of everyone, her and husband, Ben, wouldn't have Teddy (SWNS).
Her friend, Helen Kenny, 35, shared the page on social media and they raised £1,000 in a day alone.
It took four weeks for them to raise the £8k needed for them to travel to have treatment in Cyprus in October 2022.
This time using a donor egg, they had six embryos transplanted out there, over three sessions.
The third and final session was a success - Zoe fell pregnant.
Zoe said: "We were happy, but the whole pregnancy was an anxious time - especially at the 25 week mark which was when we lost Billy.
"I started reliving it - the fear it would happen again was something I couldn't even comprehend.
"With every scan we had, we got 'scanxiety' - we thought they'd find something wrong, but they never did."
Despite Teddy being a 'daddy's boy,' Zoe Nickless said finally getting their miracle baby is 'everything we hoped for and more' (SWNS).
But despite their fears, Teddy was born in June at 37 weeks via ventouse delivery, weighing 7lbs 10oz.
Zoe said: "When Teddy was born, I remembered holding Billy in my arms and remembered how he didn't open his eyes or breathe.
"But this time, Teddy was breathing, eyes open, crying - it was one of the most amazing things."
Now five weeks since his birth, the parents have been loving parenthood - an experience 12 years in the making.
Despite Teddy being a "daddy's boy", Zoe said finally getting their miracle baby is "everything we hoped for and more".
And if it wasn't for the 160 people that contributed, they wouldn't have had a baby.
Zoe said: "We never expected to raise that much, never.
Zoe and Ben Nickless finally became parents at Crewe's Leighton Hospital this June (Ryan Parker).
"We put it as a target to aim for, but we never thought it would be a destination. It blew us away."
Not only did friends, family and even total strangers donate generously, but many people who have been through similar contacted Zoe for support.
She recalled how in two cases, families who previously had children via IVF even offered their leftover embryos.
Zoe added: "IVF is not guaranteed, however when it works, it's the most amazing science has anyone has ever created."
"All the treatments and injections were blooming horrible, but to have our baby now made it all worth it."
Zoe and Ben Nickless said if it wasn't for the 160 people that contributed, they wouldn't have had a baby (SWNS).
She added: "I would love for people to talk a bit more about infertility and not be ashamed.
"I think as soon as you start talking about it, there's so much more support that you don't realise is out there."
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