Woman pregnant with husband's baby two years after his death

Esther and Stuart met in 2020 and quickly fell in love

A woman whose husband died while sick with a brain tumour more than two years ago has become pregnant with their first child after ten rounds of IVF.

Stuart Bathers, 40, from Cheltenham, died on 21 November 2021 from a pulmonary embolism while receiving treatment for stage four Glioblastoma.

He and his wife Esther Bathers, 44, had completed two rounds of IVF before he died, with Mr Bather's consenting to more in the case of his death.

She said: "It feels like a miracle".

"I mean every baby is a miracle but to me personally this feels like a miracle to be this far along after having two miscarriages before and constant disappointments and failures," she added.

The couple started IVF treatment in 2021, just two months after Mr Bather's was diagnosed, completing two rounds before he died from a pulmonary embolism thought to be linked to his cancer treatment.

Mrs Bathers then went on to do eight more attempts at IVF while continuing to work on Inside Stuart's Head, a site which includes a fund to support other cancer patients looking for treatment help once NHS options run out.

Esther and Stuart got married within two weeks of his cancer diagnosis

Mrs Bathers said her story is one of "hope", saying she is glad she didn't give up despite the emotional and financial pressures of privately funding the IVF.

She said: "I went through wondering if it was my body failing because of my age or was it because I'm not supposed to do this, all those things go through your head.

"Stuart was very on board with me carrying on, we had all the consent forms and everything completed.

"When I found out I was pregnant it felt like it was Christmas and I hadn't felt like that because of all the ups and downs and the grief since Stuart died, but it bought with it lots of other emotions and stresses and things but ultimately its going to be joyful, we're having a little boy."

The couple met in June 2020 and after a first date of a picnic in Pittville Park in Cheltenham they quickly fell in love.

"It just took off immediately, we actually talked about wanting to be parents on our first date," Mrs Bathers said.

'Surreal'

In January 2021, Mr Bathers bumped into a doorframe and had trouble remembering names, a CT scan showed a mass on his brain.

The pair got engaged and married less than two weeks after his cancer diagnoses, having only known each other for a year.

Mrs Bathers said: "I didn't have time to get an outfit together or anything, my friend ordered me something from ASOS and another friend did my bouquet.

"It was really small and intimate, we had an amazing day."

Esther and Stuart got a special licence to get married due to Covid restrictions

Mrs Bathers said it feels "surreal" to be 24 weeks pregnant and that she would never have planned to be "inter-dimensional parenting".

She said her husband was the most "incredible, kind and loving man who would be the most amazing dad".

"There was absolutely no way that I could give up because being a mum is really important to me but having Stuart's baby is my number one, I always knew that after he died that I was going to keep going until I couldn't anymore," she said.

Stuart and Esther going through the second round of IVF

Before he died Mr Bathers wanted to help others and set up Inside Stuart's Head so the family could "give back" to everyone who had fundraised and helped them.

It included the Stuart Bathers Fund, which helps other people who have brain cancer to access advice and help from patient navigators from a company called ACT Above & Beyond.

Esther is now 24 weeks pregnant and feeling well

Mrs Bathers said she was looking forward to continuing Mr Bather's legacy through the foundation, and making sure their son knows who their father is.

Mrs Bathers said: "Stuart will be a huge part of the baby's life always and I will make sure he knows his story and legacy.

"He wont be short on love that's for sure, everyone is so excited to meet him."