By Amy Reast
A woman born without a uterus had twins after her gym buddy became her surrogate.
Brooke Smith-Sanders, 39, found out she was born without a uterus aged 17 when her periods never started.
It meant she’d never carry children so when she and husband, Walt Sanders, 42, were ready to become parents they went straight for IVF with a surrogate.
It fell through and after hearing about their heartbreak, Brooke’s CrossFit buddy Dawn Crawley, 47, a pharmaceutical product provider, agreed to become their surrogate instead.
She fell pregnant with twins and Maverick and Shepherd were born at 33 weeks.
Brooke said they feel “so blessed” – and wants to share their story to give other families hope when going through infertility.
The mum-of-two, a farmer, from Bell Buckle, Tennessee, US, said: “When I first found out I didn’t have a uterus, I was scared and shocked.
“We started looking into surrogacy and found a surrogate – until she called and couldn’t go ahead.
“Then Dawn offered to help and it just fell into place for us – she is a member of our family now.
“Becoming a mum was amazing – every day I look at my children and can’t believe how lucky we are.
“It was a hard journey but it was so worth it – and I’d do it again every day of my life to get what I have now.”
Dawn added: “I am adopted – someone gave me a chance from birth.
“I wanted to repay that any way that I could. Something just said to me ‘I need to help them’.
“Knowing that I was able to help them makes me so happy, not just for the parents, for those babies too.
“They’re growing up to be such great kids.
“I know how badly Brooke and Walt wanted this.
“It was an honour to help Brooke and be considered a part of her family now is a joy. I think the world of her.”
Brooke said she “never got over the sadness” of knowing she couldn’t carry her own children.
The started surrogacy in 2018 but it fell through at the last minute when the local woman discovered she was already pregnant.
Brooke said: “It was such a heartbreaking disappointment because we had finally got to the point of starting and it just fell apart.”
Brooke went ahead with her own egg retrieval anyway in November 2018, but it failed when they were “exposed to too much carbon dioxide” and all died.
Then gym buddy Dawn offered to help.
A second egg retrieval in December 2018 resulted in 22 eggs – with three fertilised eggs making it to day five.
In April 2019, two eggs were implanted and Brooke and Walt were soon being told they were expecting twins.
Brooke and Walk attended Dawn’s scans with her, and they grew close.
Dawn was rushed to hospital on October 31, at 33 weeks, due to pre-eclampsia – which causes high blood pressure in later-stage pregnancies.
Their twins – daughter Maverick, 5lb, and son Shepherd, 4.5lb – were born on November 1, and were small but healthy.
They stayed in the NICU for three weeks with oxygen and feeding tubes until they were strong enough to go home.
Brooke said: “Nothing can prepare you for bringing babies home.
“I remember when we were leaving the hospital I was like ‘oh my God, we don’t know what we’re doing’ but it’s been a really fun process.”
On November 23, the tots were finally strong enough to come home – and doting parents Brooke and Walt have loved every moment since.
Now four, they start kindergarten next year – and the parents feel as “blessed and lucky” as ever.
Brooke said: “Becoming a mum, it was amazing. I am still amazed to this day.
“Every day I look at them and it’s like seeing them for the first time.
“And Dawn – we love her dearly and she is a member of our family. She is a very special person to us.”
Brooke wants to give hope to other women facing infertility – and show it can work out in the end.
She added: “I think when you realise you have to do IVF, it’s scary and hard.
“A lot of people shut down because they don’t know who to talk to or what to do – I felt like that at times.
“In the movies and TV shows it all looks so wonderful and easy, when it’s the furthest thing from that.
“But it’s important to show you can get through it, no matter how hard it gets.
“For a long time I was sad I couldn’t carry them, but I did my part to bring them into this world.
“Sometimes you just need a bit of extra help.
“I want to tell people you’re not alone, you’re very valuable no matter what road you have to take.”
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