Bride-to-be Georgia Day, from Liverpool, was devastated when she was diagnosed with triple-negative breast cancer last month, something she feared would shatter her dreams of having children of her own.
The 24-year-old decided to delay chemotherapy which could leave her infertile, to save her dream of becoming a mum.
Georgia and computer programmer fiancé, Isaac McCarthy, 24, who had been planning to get married in October, decided to freeze her embryos before she begins treatment next month.
Chemo can affect your ovaries and the production of eggs. As a precautionary measure, some people freeze embryos or eggs and Georgia chose to have her embryos stored.
Georgia, who lost her job as a receptionist in March, says she didn’t always plan on having a family of her own but that changed when she met Isaac.
The childhood sweethearts have dreamed of having a family and hoped to start trying after their planned ceremony in Gretna Green in front of 18 of their friends and family.
But due to the global pandemic and Georgia’s health, the couple will have to wait to tie the knot.
Georgia said: ‘We’re still devastated about it because all the plans we had for the future have to change and mould around the fact that I have cancer.
‘I lost my job, got diagnosed with cancer and now I can’t get married. All the problems are piling on top of each other. Can it get any worse?’
Next month, Georgia will begin aggressive treatment every two weeks for five months.
Georgia discovered she had the faulty BRCA2 gene, which puts her at a higher risk of breast and ovarian cancer, when she was 21 and regularly checks her breasts.
Her gran, Sheelagh, 72, mum, Jess, 44, and sister, Danielle, 26, also carry the gene.
Georgia said: ‘In April, I had pains in my armpit but there wasn’t a lump then one day I had a shooting pain in my breast, went to grab it and felt a lump.
‘I was devastated. I immediately knew there was something wrong and I thought it was cancer. I knew deep down.
‘It’s a difficult situation and with the pandemic I couldn’t tell my family and friends in person.’
Georgia’s embryos that don’t carry the gene can be specifically picked out so that her children don’t have what she described as ‘a head start in cancer’.
She said that if the frozen embryos don’t work for them, the couple will look into adopting.
Georgia is speaking out to raise awareness of the importance of checking breasts regularly.
She said: ‘I want people to check their boobs and be aware of how their body is changing.
‘Cancer doesn’t discriminate depending on age. I don’t care if you go to the gym 24 times per week, you can still get cancer.
‘If I can get it at 24, anyone can and health is one of the most important things.’
The couple are now raising money for when they are finally able to get married.
To donate, go to their GoFundMe page.
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