Mum who refused to abort daughter says she’s ‘proof there is always hope’

A mother who refused to abort her daughter when she was diagnosed with a brain condition said her story is “proof there is always hope”.

Cassy Gray was told by doctors that her unborn baby was “incompatible with life” when a 12-week scan showed that she had semilobar holoprosencephaly, a rare condition where the brain stops developing.

But she went on to give birth to Megan Whyte, who defied doctors’ expectations by being able to breathe on her own. After reaching her first birthday, she then uttered the word “Mum”.

Pressure

Cassy reflected: “It was really emotional, I didn’t think I would ever hear her say it. In the morning, she’s always vocal. She just shouts – no words in particular – and then she kept saying, ‘Mum. Mum’, telling me to get up.”

Cassy had been “strongly advised” to abort Megan at 24 weeks, and was told there was a 97 per cent chance she would be stillborn.

The mum was previously unaware of the brain condition, and after searching online, believed there was “no hope”, but later became aware of those in their 30s with the condition.

‘Not an option’

Megan is blind, with three kidneys, epilepsy and a rare form of diabetes, but her mother said “she is certainly not incompatible with life”.

She explained: “We decided right away that termination was not an option. I’m not religious but I thought if God wants Megan, he’ll take Megan; if she was going to die, she’d die in her own time – I wasn’t going to take it from her.

she is certainly not incompatible with life

“I’m just glad my desire to have a family was stronger than me listening to what the doctors were saying.”

Twins

In January, a couple who refused to abort one of their children to save the other shared their joy that their two healthy boys were still thriving 17 months on.

Ashley and Kate Butcher were offered an abortion at 12 weeks, after doctors discovered their twin sons’ umbilical cords were tangled and they were sharing a placenta.

But Kate went on to give birth to both Arlen and Eivin via caesarean in August 2020 – weighing 4lbs 7oz and 4lbs 11oz respectively.