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A Mother’s Day miracle
By CAROLYN IAMON, News
Writer May 08, 2004
Zwire
Mother’s
Day is an extra special celebration in the Cathy and
Hank Holt household.The couple had been married less
than a year when Cathy was diagnosed with cervical
cancer at the age of 25. That was in 1994. That would be
tragic news to any young newlywed.
“I was devastated at the thought of having a
hysterectomy so young. I had always wanted children, but
now I had to focus on keeping myself alive,” Cathy said.
Although Cathy is originally from Bainbridge, the couple
was living in Florida at the time. Cathy’s doctor told
the couple he wasn’t sure he could save her ovaries
during the surgery, but he would try. The removal of the
uterus was successful and the ovaries were saved; but
still Cathy and Hank despaired of ever having children.
The doctor began to assure the young couple that with
the help of a fertility clinic and surrogate mother they
could probably become parents.
Cathy had loved children all her life, having been a
baby-sitter since age 12. Her life dream was to have her
own children. Seeing the situation as hopeless, she sank
into a deep depression. A dear friend, Barbara Boyd,
encouraged her to enroll in the Fort Lauderdale Art
Institute where she obtained an associate degree in
photography.
All along the doctor kept urging the Holts to consult
the fertility clinic. He described the in vitro process
whereby Cathy’s own eggs could be surgically removed,
fertilized by her husband’s sperm, then planted in the
uterus of a surrogate mother who would carry the
child(ren) to birth.
“We gave some consideration to adoption, but when I
found I could have my own biological children, that was
my first option,” Cathy said. “But for some reason, I
was uncomfortable with having a stranger for the
surrogate mother.”
As the couple deliberated their options, Cathy jokingly
said to her sister-in-law, RayLyn Johnson, “Why don’t
you carry a baby for me?” That off-hand statement
planted a seed in RayLyn’s mind. It took root and she
soon volunteered to become the surrogate. She was
healthy and had successfully given birth to two children
of her own.
Thus began a series of medical and psychological
sessions to prepare RayLyn to accept the embryo and for
Cathy to produce “good” eggs. The first implant
procedure didn’t take and it was necessary for RayLyn to
wait another six weeks before they could try again. The
second time was successful.
All through RayLyn’s pregnancy, both she and Cathy went
to all doctor appointments together and had sonograms
together. The last two sonograms indicated the babies
would both be boys. The parents prepared accordingly.
They chose two male names, decorated for boys and had a
baby shower at which they received all male gifts.
The birth was scheduled for the day after Mother’s Day.
The whole family had a big get-together on Mother’s Day
and looked forward to the birth day to come. Both
couples were present in the delivery room at the time of
the C-section births. The twins, one girl and one boy,
were born May 10, 1999. Cathy and Hank cut the umbilical
chords.
“I had prayed hard that God would give me a boy and a
girl, and he did,” Cathy said.
Cathy now devotes all her time to the joys of
child-rearing. The two children are enrolled in
pre-kindergarten at Grace Christian School and Cathy
loves being involved in their school projects and
parties.
“They’ve brought nothing but joy to our lives,” she
said.
Someday Cathy hopes to go back to her photography as a
business, but right now she does not have time to devote
to it. All her current photography is of the twins.
The children, Hannah Ray and Hank are normal, healthy,
happy “soon to be” 5-year-olds. Their mother said they
have very different personalities.
“Hank is a typical rambunctious boy. He likes all sports
and especially golf.” Hannah was born one minute before
Hank and is described by her mother as “a perfectionist
who likes to get everything just right.” Their Aunt
RayLyn is close to the family, as a beloved aunt.
Every Mother’s Day, Cathy sends a card to her
sister-in-law RayLyn. “There is no way I can ever thank
her enough for what she did,” she explains. The extended
family comes together to celebrate on Mother’s Day, and
it is an extra special day for all.
This story was first told on television in Florida while
the families were still living there, when the children
were born. Cathy said she has gone public with the
circumstances of the children’s birth because she wants
others who might be in a similar situation to have hope.
She describes herself as very passionate about getting
the message out to all women to go get regular pap
smears and take care of their health.
“I will tell anyone who will listen,” she explains.
The extended family comes together to celebrate on
Mother’s Day, and it is an extra special day for all.
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