Mother at 43: Baby Born from Ovarian Tissue Frozen at 19 Following Cancer Diagnosis

 Mother at 43: Baby Born from Ovarian Tissue Frozen at 19 Following Cancer Diagnosis

Cassandra Bacon from the UK had her ovarian tissue preserved at the age of 17—before undergoing treatment for Hodgkin lymphoma—and had it transplanted two decades later.

Following the tissue transplant, her menstrual cycle returned, and she became pregnant after three rounds of IVF.

In September 2026, Bacon gave birth to her son, Landon; he is reported to be the first baby in the world born following such a transplant.

When Cassandra Bacon was 17, she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, a type of blood cancer. The cancer was brought under control after the first round of chemotherapy, but it returned less than a year later—this time, the cancer was even more severe.

For a teenager battling a serious illness like cancer, the primary challenge at that time was simply saving her life.

Doctors advised that a more intensive course of chemotherapy needed to begin immediately; there was no room for delay. Bacon was well aware of the potential impact this treatment could have on her future fertility.

At that age, she should have been learning to drive and preparing for her final school exams. Instead, at a time when she should have been dreaming about the future, she found herself fighting cancer.

Yet, even amidst this, she never gave up on her hope of having children of her own one day. "Going through such a situation at that age was extremely difficult," she told the BBC World Service program 'NewsHour'.

A decision to keep the hope of becoming a mother alive

Typically, women who might face difficulty conceiving in the future can have their eggs harvested and preserved. However, this process requires several weeks of preparation, involving hormone injections.

Bacon did not have that much time. Because her cancer treatment had to begin immediately, the standard procedure of harvesting and preserving eggs was not an option for her.

Consequently, she opted for an alternative—a method that, at the time, was still in the experimental stage.

She decided to have pieces of ovarian tissue—tissue capable of producing eggs—removed and preserved. Later, when she was ready to become a mother, this tissue could be transplanted back into her body.

Four small samples of tissue were removed from Bacon’s ovary. These samples were cryopreserved (frozen at extremely low temperatures) with the hope that they could be used in the future.

However, there was no guarantee that a child could be born from tissue preserved in this manner. Nevertheless, Bacon did not give up hope.

The cancer was cured, but her menstrual cycle stopped at the age of 33

Bacon underwent a bone marrow transplant and chemotherapy to treat her cancer. The treatment was successful; she became cancer-free. However, the intensive treatment required to bring the cancer under control caused severe damage to her ovaries. As the doctors had feared, she reached menopause at the age of just 33—meaning her menstrual cycles ceased.

The chances of conceiving naturally became extremely slim. However, the ovarian tissue that had been preserved when she was 19 remained a beacon of hope for the future. Bacon spent nearly a decade searching for a doctor capable of re-implanting that tissue into her body.

There was another complication: the legal framework in the UK regarding this procedure was different at the time the tissue was harvested and stored. Consequently, obtaining the necessary documentation for the re-implantation two decades later proved to be a significant challenge.

Dr. Sarah Matthews, who had performed her initial surgery, remained by her side throughout this journey. Ultimately, she helped arrange for the procedure to be carried out at the Sheba Medical Center in Ramat Gan, Israel.

Transplant Halted by War

After a wait of more than two decades, the opportunity for the tissue re-implantation had finally arrived for Bacon. Yet, her hopes were once again cast into uncertainty. The treatment process was disrupted by the war that erupted following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023—a conflict that saw Israel intensify its military operations in Gaza.

Bacon feared that the hope she had held onto for her entire life might slip away. "I wondered, is my only hope about to be lost?" she told the BBC.

Following a temporary ceasefire in May 2024, she traveled to Israel. Her previously preserved ovarian tissue was transplanted back into her body.

The ceasefire ended just hours after she had boarded a plane to return to the UK following her treatment. "You couldn't even write a story like this," she remarked while recounting her experience.

How does ovarian tissue transplantation work?

The process of preserving ovarian tissue is an option for safeguarding future fertility. It can be particularly beneficial for girls, adolescents, and women whose ovaries might be affected by cancer treatments.

In this procedure, small pieces of egg-producing ovarian tissue are removed. These tissue samples are then frozen and stored in a laboratory. When needed later, they are thawed and transplanted back into—or near—the remaining part of the ovary.

If the transplanted tissue successfully integrates with the body's blood vessels, it can resume functioning. This may restore the ovary's ability to produce hormones and generate eggs.

According to a study published in 2024, menstrual cycles and egg production can resume in up to 94 percent of women following such a transplant. Furthermore, another study from 2022 indicated that approximately 28 percent of cases involving ovarian tissue transplantation resulted in the birth of a live baby.

However, the success depends on factors such as the individual's age, the condition of the preserved tissue, and the nature of the treatment... ...depends on the individual's physical condition and other health-related factors. It does not guarantee that conception will be possible for everyone.

Pregnant after three rounds of IVF

In 2024, a few months after the ovarian tissue transplant, Bacon’s menstrual cycle returned—a sign that the ovarian tissue had begun functioning again in her body.

She attempted to conceive naturally, but without success. Consequently, her doctors suggested that she and her partner pursue in vitro fertilization (IVF).

They underwent three rounds of IVF. Finally, on Christmas Day last year, Bacon received a positive pregnancy test. For her, this moment marked the culmination of years of waiting, struggle, and hope.

"The capacity to become a mother, which existed within my body at age 19, gave me a new life at age 43," she said.

In September 2026, Bacon gave birth to her first child, a son. It is believed that this child may be the first in the world to be born following the re-implantation of ovarian tissue that had been preserved for over 20 years.

Bacon has been cancer-free for the past 25 years.

"I thank myself for the decision I made back then."

Following the public sharing of her story, many women have reached out to Bacon, expressing that her struggle and determination have given them courage. The doctor involved in her treatment... According to Matthews, it has now become standard practice to discuss options for preserving future fertility with patients before beginning cancer treatment.

She notes that as the success rates for treating cancer in children and adolescents have improved, greater emphasis is being placed on ensuring that survivors can lead normal lives and start families of their own.

"We want these children to grow up and live normal lives. The ability to have a family of one's own is an important part of such a life," says Dr. Matthews.

Looking back at her teenage years, Bacon still finds it remarkable that she was able to make such a significant decision about her future at such a young age—and that she remained steadfast in her choice despite the difficult circumstances.

Today, however, she holds her son, Landon, in her arms. There was a time when the possibility of her ever becoming a mother was highly uncertain. The decision she made as a teenager—aimed at safeguarding that very possibility—has, more than two decades later, brought her the joy of motherhood.

"I think, looking back, I should thank myself for the decision I made," she says.