Bolton couple 'last chance' IVF treatment for second child

Childhood sweethearts Dan and Kate Newby, from Stoneclough, are hoping that they can raise the money at their “last chance” to complete their family.

Having met as teenagers, they couple will have been together for 18 years this year and have always dreamed of having two children.

Kate, 33, was prescribed some strong painkillers after a fall in 2013, not knowing at the time that she was pregnant.

Sadly, despite persisting with the pregnancy, the medication was said to have damaged the growth of their baby, nicknamed Peewee, who they ultimately lost.

After trying to get pregnant for three years, Kate discovered she was expecting and in 2016 and son, Oliver, was born in September.

“Our dream was always to have two children,” Kate said. “Like most people you want that two-point-four family.

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“But it didn’t seem meant to be before we managed to eventually get Oliver.”

A year after his birth, Kate and Dan began trying to get pregnant again but then in 2019 they were dealt another devastating blow.

Dan, 34, found out that his fertility levels were diminished, which led to the discovery of testicular tumour. Luckily, it was not cancerous and was removed successfully, but this reduced his fertility levels further.

Kate, Dan and Oliver (Image: Kate Newby)

“We tried lots of options – multivitamins what we found online that are £70 a box to try and improve fertility and all those types of things before you realise that actually we needed the help of facilities,” Kate said.

With their dream of a complete family fading, the couple decided to try IVF which they ultimately spent around £12,000 on - the NHS does not provide financial help to those who already have a child.

After one failed attempt, they opted for a final effort and chose the expensive ICSI treatment, and they were delighted to discover she managed to get Kate was pregnant.

“Oliver had always wanted a sister because all his friends and family have got brothers and sisters. He was beyond excited.

“We booked a private scan to show Oliver then got him a t shirt which said ‘promoted to big brother 2023’ and we then drove round families houses and he was the one that was saying ‘I’m going to be a big brother.”

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On December 29, 2022, Kate experienced intense pain which ended in a premature birth of their daughter they named Pippa Lily Newby.

Because Kate had been pregnant with Pippa for less than 24 weeks, no intervention could be offered.

Sadly, Pippa died in her families arms the following day.

Dan said: “When we went for ICSI we said this would be our last shot and that would be the end of that but because it worked, and we got pregnant it feels like we’ve been robbed.

“If it doesn’t work this time, then that would be it. It’s not meant to be.”

Kate added: “If we were to ever get the money, which doesn’t feel reachable at the minute, then it would be ‘let’s put everything into this one last shot’ because when we got Pippa we didn’t expect it to work.

Kate, Dan and Oliver (Image: Kate Newby)

“It would mean the world and beyond to have another go.”

Dan says that that Oliver “doesn’t think it’s fair” and has struggled to come to terms with the situation.

Kate said: “He said, ‘why me? Why us? We’ve never done anything nasty so why can’t we get what we want?’”

Kate’s mum has set up a GoFundMe page which provides further information about their story.

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“It would mean so much to us and it’s already been so hard and is still going to be.

“We understand that asking for that amount of money is a lot. It’s so hard at the minute and everything costs so much that giving any extra to people is blinking hard work.”

Visit www.gofundme.com/f/axwyf-complete-a-family for find out more or to donate.

If you have a story or something you would like to highlight in the community, please email me at lewis.finney@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @lewisfinney18.