A couple who refused to give up on their dream of having a child are now celebrating the arrival of their baby girl after an extraordinary race against time.
Lois Rose, 30, and her partner, Liam Bradley, 38, became parents to daughter Birdie in July after Liam managed to preserve his fertility just hours before starting treatment for stage 4 bile duct cancer.
The couple had been told that chemotherapy could leave Liam infertile, making their chances of having a biological child together uncertain. But a last-minute opportunity at a fertility clinic gave them a chance.
Lois met Liam in December 2024. By March 2025, Liam was enjoying a game of golf with friends and feeling fitter than ever when he began experiencing flu-like symptoms.
It was only after his eyes developed a noticeable yellow tint that he decided to seek medical attention at Lincoln County Hospital’s emergency department.
An MRI in April then confirmed the devastating diagnosis: stage 4 cholangiocarcinoma, a type of cancer that develops in the bile ducts.
The scans also revealed 12 tumors that had spread to his liver.
Refused to abandon their plans
With chemotherapy approaching, Liam was warned that his fertility could be affected by treatment. The couple knew they needed to act quickly if they wanted to have a child together.
There was another obstacle, too. Liam already had two children from a previous relationship, meaning he and Lois did not qualify for National Health Service (NHS) funding for IVF.
Still, they refused to abandon their plans for a family.
While the couple were vacationing in Rhodes, Greece, and taking a mountain tour, Liam noticed missed calls on his phone. They were from Nurture Fertility, a clinic in Nottingham, England, with an opportunity that could change everything.
The clinic told them they could proceed with IVF if Liam provided a sperm sample before beginning chemotherapy.
“I was amazed,” Liam told PA Real Life, according to Tyla.
Provided his sperm sample one hour before his first chemotherapy
The couple had been waiting six weeks for chemotherapy to begin, a delay that initially meant more uncertainty. In the end, however, it gave them a narrow window to make their dream possible.
Liam’s clinic agreed to open early on Monday morning to accommodate him.
“The clinic staff were brilliant (and) they said they’d open at 8am for me on Monday.
“Thank goodness our Sunday night flight wasn’t delayed (because) I got there in time to give a sample and then rushed to Lincoln (Hospital) to start chemo an hour later.”
Liam provided his sperm sample just one hour before his first chemotherapy session in May 2025.
Months later, the couple received the news they had been hoping for. In October, they learned that the single donation had resulted in a pregnancy.
For Lois and Liam, the successful IVF treatment was an extraordinary turn of events during an otherwise frightening period of their lives.
Lois gave birth to Birdie in July, describing the experience as a positive one despite everything the couple had been facing.
“The birth was amazing.
“Birdie forces us to live and fight at the same time.”
The new mom also praised her daughter’s temperament.
“She really is just the perfect baby.
“She sleeps six to seven hours at night, she’s breastfed perfectly from the beginning and she’s really content.”
“There’s so much that I want to live for”
For Liam, becoming a father to Birdie has given him something meaningful to focus on beyond his illness.
“If I didn’t have Lois and Birdie, I think cancer would control my life,” he told PA Real Life.
“It would dictate what I do hour by hour, minute by minute and I’d constantly be thinking about it.
“But I’ve got so many happy distractions in my life that I can take control back.”
His cancer treatment initially brought encouraging results. Liam said it was remarkable to see almost all of his tumors disappear, including the primary tumor.
However, the road ahead has not been straightforward.
In May 2026, Liam was admitted to intensive care after experiencing serious side effects from treatment. He also learned that the cancer had spread to one of his lungs.
Although he admits that his illness leaves him feeling “pretty rough,” he remains hopeful about the next six months. He credits much of that outlook to the support he has received from AMMF, a charity dedicated to raising awareness of and supporting people affected by cholangiocarcinoma.
By speaking publicly about his diagnosis, treatment and growing family, he hopes to offer encouragement to others facing the same disease.
“I just want to give other people who are living with the same cancer hope,” Liam said.
“Being here for the birth and being here for three months old, it’s just a win.
“There’s so much that I want to live for.”