Kirsty in bid for real Mother's Day

Mar 14 2010 Sunday Sun

Now, however, making lives is Kirsty’s primary concern, thanks to the NHS which has agreed to fund the first stage of what is known as “host surrogacy” at the Centre for Life in Newcastle.

There, fertility experts will take an egg from Kirsty’s ovaries and fertilise it with Paul’s sperm to create an embryo.

The next stage is for the couple to find the missing link to make this work . . . a surrogate mum to carry their baby.

For that, they have signed up to COTS – Childlessness Overcome Through Surrogates – one of only two agencies in the UK which has Kim Cotton, the first British surrogate mum, as its patron.

The agency seeks to put childless couples in touch with women who act as surrogates, or ‘hosts’ – they have around 30 on their books – and they also deal with all the legalities, but the process is still costly, both financially and emotionally.

Kirsty said: “We paid £850 to register with them and have been told we’re high up the waiting list because of our unique situation.

“But it’s going to cost a lot. It’s illegal to pay for a baby so we make a ‘compensation payment’ to the host of between £10,000 and £15,000.

“You also have to pay for all the host’s medical costs, clothes and food during the pregnancy and life insurance for two years.

“We have an ongoing fund but I’ll get a second job if I have to.

“The way I feel now, I’ve told my mum Lynn we’ll sell the house and move in with her!

“There’s also a risk the host could change her mind and want to keep the baby, but COTS say that’s never happened.

“Either way, it’s going to be a very stressful nine months, and we’ve not even found a host yet.

“The waiting game is starting to get to Paul now. He comes in from work at Nissan asking ‘has there been a phone call or a letter?’.”

Mother’s Day today brings the waiting game home for the couple, who were married last September, but Kirsty’s determined to make today special for her mum Lynn, 47, who she describes as “her rock”.

Kirsty added: “I’m cooking and will be the only one who’s not a mum at dinner. Maybe this time next year I will be.”