This Woman Gave Birth To Her Own Grandson — “It’s What Mums Do”

From the moment her daughter, Jessica Jenkins, was diagnosed with cervical cancer at 18, British hairdresser Julie Bradford was ready to do anything to help her. And now, three years since Jenkins' diagnosis, Bradford has served as a surrogate and given birth to her own grandson, Jack. Bradford, 45, told the Daily Mirror that she never had a moment of doubt about her decision. “You watch your daughter go through cancer at 18 and then say you would not do the same," she said. "But I would have done it anyway, it’s what mums do." Having a baby later in life comes with possible complications, including an increased likelihood of gestational diabetes and needing a C-section. But as long as the mother follows a couple of guidelines during her pregnancy (attend regular prenatal checkups, maintain a healthy lifestyle), the birth will probably go smoothly. In Bradford's case, Jack was born happy and healthy, and Bradford seemed completely unfazed by the whole experience: "I have had three so I did warn [Jessica] what it would be like but I just got on with it... I was just so pleased to be able to bring my daughter’s child into the world, you don’t feel pain at times like that." Jenkins, now 21, who's been in remission since October 2014, told the Mirror that she always wanted to be a mother — knowing she couldn't have children was more devastating than being told she had cancer. She had her eggs retrieved and frozen the same day she started radiation treatment: "It was the last possible moment I could have started treatment. But it was such an immense feeling of relief to know that no matter what happened, I had done that because I had always longed to be a mum and couldn’t bear that being taken away." Bradford called Jack a "Christmas miracle," and we're sure Jenkins agrees, but she noted that her mother had a lot to do with it, too: "My mum is my hero, she has shown me what true love means, I can never repay her for what she has done for us and the sacrifices she has made."