Being a mom is one of the most amazing journeys. Children are God’s gift. Though not all are lucky to be a mom or have a child. Here is an heartbreaking story of a wonderful woman who is longing to have a child despite of her 13 miscarriages and stillbirths. Praying and hoping her wish of being a mother comes true.
Samantha Rowe, 42, had 13 miscarriages and stillbirths. In 2014, her nightmare began when she gave birth to her son named Cooper who was born at just 21 weeks on Valentines day. But it was too early to survive. Hudson 19 weeks stillborn, In 2015 twins Emma and Zoe passed away since they got tangled in their umbilical cord. In 2018, at 22 weeks baby Noah entered the world too soon to survive.
Each year was experienced with miscarriages, Samantha and her ex fiancee spent $40,000 to use donor eggs which they hoped as a “miracle solution” to their problem, but was left shattered when the pregnancy lasted only for a week.
In November 2020, she was tested positive for the 13th time and she was overjoyed at being pregnant. However she began to bleed eight weeks later. As she lost her baby, her fiance broke up with her.
Samantha expressed that the breakup was worse than losing a baby since even after losing a child they had each other. She felt all alone and devastated. She had to pack her things including 8 years worth of baby items and move into a two bedroom apartment since she could not afford to pay the rent. For 3 months she cried herself to sleep.
During one of Melbourne’s COVID-19 lockdowns she managed to get a job as an executive assistant at a disability service. She never dreamt of being a surrogate as a single woman. But she would still do it if she had $120,000 in the bank to pay for a surrogate baby.
Surrogacy Australia put her in touch with a group of couples and single parents who used a program in Greece which helped women who are unable to have their own children. They had a meet up where she met families who all went to Greece and were back happily with their little angels in hand.
Before Samantha met her ex she bought an investment property which she had to refinance to pay the surrogacy fees. She explained the prospective mom would use donor eggs and sperm which meant the child won’t be genetically hers but she was sure she would love the child whole heartedly.
She would finally be a mom and have a child in her arms in little more than a year if her application would be processed by the Greek courts as early as February.
Meanwhile, Samantha celebrates the birthday of her 5 children who were stillborn. Depending on their age she buys gifts and donates it to a child who is in need. She feels emotionally touched and in her words “It doesn’t take away the pain but it does heal my heart a little.”
During Christmas she would spend around $1000 each year on toys and gifts that she donated to kids whose family could not afford shoes or school uniforms. Each time she went to a store she checked the sale times and whatever she could afford she would buy and keep them in a tub till Christmas.
To help other families who have experienced infant loss, Samantha has set up her business Memories of an Angel. For stillbirth organizations, her company sends ribbons all over the world. In South Australia a cemetery had contacted her to send thousands of ribbons to each family who had lost a child and ships globally every week.
Her biggest achievement would be starting a care package for parents who lost a child. It would be the nation’s first pay-it-forward program for people who experienced infant loss. People could either buy a gift box to donate to a hospital or they can nominate an individual to send the box to.
Samantha expressed that parents who experience loss of a child never get to see the baby’s name in writing so the box will include a note with the baby’s name. The box also focused on mothers who leave the hospital without a baby to bring them comfort and acknowledgment as a mother.
Due to Covid the launch has been delayed yet hopes to launch it early next year.
May no woman go through what Samantha has gone through. She definitely deserves the best in life. May she be the light and hope for other families too.
