Rafferty Isaac: The baby who was born twice
Lucy Isaac was diagnosed with ovarian cancer when she was 12 weeks pregnant and underwent a life-changing surgery where her baby was removed from her tummy and placed back inside...
Hearing a cancer diagnosis from your doctor doesn't always come with a silver lining. It is morbid and can be the most shattering news.
Add pregnancy to the mix, and it most likely can feel like the world is coming to an end.
But not for Lucy Isaac. Isaac found out about her ovarian cancer after a routine ultrasound when she was 12 weeks pregnant. However, due to a life-changing procedure performed in October 2024, she and her baby Rafferty are safe and sound.
"The surgical team at Oxford University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust (OUH) lifted (Isaac's) womb out of her pelvis - complete with baby Rafferty inside - to remove her ovarian tumour," reports OUH.
Isaac's pregnancy was too far along for doctors to perform a "standard keyhole surgery." If doctors chose to wait, there was the risk of the cancer spreading to other parts of her body.
"A team headed by Mr Hooman Soleymani Majd, an OUH consultant, proposed the radical operation – a rare procedure which would lift (Isaac's) womb out of her abdomen, still containing her unborn child, to allow them to examine and remove the cancerous cells on both ovaries behind the womb," reported OUH on their website.
The procedure sounded like something that could only be attempted in a make-believe world. According to OUH: "(Isaac's) womb was removed from her body while still connected to her uterine artery and stayed attached to her left fallopian tube and cervix."
Isaac's medical team was made up of 15 members. Two of those members were responsible for holding her womb for the duration of the procedure. Her womb was wrapped with saline packs to mimic the inside of her body.
I am pleased with the procedure's success. It was a complex and challenging operation, but the dedication and expertise of our multidisciplinary team ensured a positive outcome for Lucy and her baby. "When baby Rafferty visited us at two weeks after being born, it was an immensely emotional moment for me and the team. This achievement not only highlights the advancements in medical science but also reinforces our commitment to providing innovative and life-saving procedures. I am grateful for the trust placed in us and proud of the collaborative effort that made this possible.
Read more: Mom cries after giving birth to "ugly" baby
Isaac's and her husband, Adam, were aware of the procedure's risks but had faith in Mr Hooman Soleymani Majd and the team. This pregnancy was critical to the couple as they had to wait to start a family while Adam stayed on the kidney transplant list, which he received from a friend in November 2022.
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