Dear Annabelle and Elyssa,
I feel so blessed you have each other – a best friend –
for life. Your sister will always hold a mirror up to
you and that’s truly invaluable. Becoming a mother
did not happen easily. Your dad and I tried so hard to
become parents for seven years. Everyone around me
was having babies and I felt like I was doing something
wrong. I finally wrapped my head around IVF and we
did one cycle and it worked. I was so fortunate. One
of the greatest experiences of my life was carrying you,
Annabelle. At 41 weeks’ pregnant I was diagnosed with
stage-three aggressive breast cancer. I had eight months
of intense chemotherapy, which started when you were
10 days old, and a double mastectomy. I didn’t know
how the story was going to end, if I was going to
survive. I went through 16 rounds of chemo and you
made me smile every day – you gave me so much
hope. I lived for you. I was given the all clear exactly
one year from the day I received my diagnosis. I was
told another pregnancy could cost me my life, but I
knew that there would be a way. Elyssa, our journey
bringing you into the world wasn’t easy. When I
speak to the extraordinary woman who carried you,
I still cry. That kind of kindness and generosity is
something you can’t comprehend. The greatest thing
that has ever happened to me was that you both chose
me to be your mum. Every night, I’ll walk around after
I’ve put you to bed and I just can’t even believe I’m the
mother of two children. It still takes my breath away
after almost seven years. I don’t think I really knew
who I was until I became a mother. It is without a
doubt my true life’s purpose.
SALLY OBERMEDER,
TV PRESENTER
WITH ANNABELLE AND ELYSSA
“I yearned for bo
of y so
str gly and y bo
came into
e world under
unique circumstances”