11 April 2018

Laura & Liam’s Story

For Liam and Laura McCaffrey from Milford Haven in West Wales, becoming parents to Owen, now aged two, involved a long journey in many ways, from a serious illness through to Liam’s sperm travelling thousands of miles to help them achieve their dream.

Liam, 31, and Laura, 29, met at university and very shortly after getting married moved to the US, where Liam was taking up a new job. But no sooner had they arrived than Liam received the devastating news that he had lymphoma, a blood cancer which was already very advanced.

Liam's story

After chemotherapy, I was scheduled for a bone marrow transplant. And on top of all of that, I was told by the specialist that my fertility would be affected. I was advised to freeze my sperm immediately if I wanted children later on, as my sperm would probably be damaged by the treatment.

Laura and I had always talked about having children at some point, so I went ahead with the procedure, which gave me eight vials of sperm banked and ready to use at some point in the future. It was tough because at this stage, whilst I knew that this type of cancer responded well to treatment, there were no guarantees of success. We just had to stick together and keep our faith and focus on a future where we could one day defrost the sperm and try and start a family.

The treatment lasted for around eight months. We were living near Oklahoma at the time and the bone marrow treatment alone involved a six-hour round trip on a regular basis. I was also dealt another blow while all this was happening when I found out the company that I had moved to in the US to join was filing for bankruptcy.

So, when I got the confirmation from the doctors that I was in full remission, it was a relatively easy decision to leave the US and head back to the UK to be with our family.

"There was no chance of conceiving and the frozen sperm thousands of miles away was our only option”

Over a year later, Laura and I started talking again about starting a family and so we were referred to the London Women’s Clinic Wales to talk about our options. The first step was to see how my own sperm had been affected by the treatment - and unfortunately, it wasn’t good news. There was no chance of conceiving and the frozen sperm thousands of miles away was our only option.

To avoid any risks, we decided to have half the eight vials sent across. So, all the way from the clinic in Oklahoma the four vials of sperm travelled thousands of miles to Wales to be hand-delivered to the clinic perfectly intact and in time for Laura to begin taking the medication for the IVF treatment. It was such an enormous relief to know that it was here and we could now just get on with it.

Laura responded well to treatment and we managed to get three good embryos. Two were transferred and less than two weeks later we found out she was pregnant - and on our wedding anniversary. We were over the moon, but cautious too. I think because we’d been through so much to get to this point we were both nervous about getting too excited or complacent, and I think it took Laura a while to feel more comfortable. She took many more pregnancy tests after that first one, just to check.

Looking back it was a long and hard journey for us, and not just in terms of air miles. We’d been through so much in such a short space of time and faced uncertainties all the way through. Coping with my illness together and coming out of it intact was traumatic and stressful. We’d both been through a lot more in our 20s than most people - and we also had to deal with the fact that somewhere in this journey the IVF might not work.

But fortunately for us, it did work and we now have an amazing little boy to show for it. And, two years on, he’s definitely a handful, with bags of energy and a real chatterbox. When he’s old enough we’ll tell him how he got here, including just how many miles he had travelled before he was even born.

All of our blog posts are written, edited, or produced by the London Women's Clinic Content Team. This is a collaboration between our expert writers, health editors, and the leading researchers and senior doctors at our Harley Street clinic.

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Georgia Burt

22 October 2026, LWC Tunbridge Wells

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S Begum

21 October 2026, LWC Brentwood

‘Choosing an IVF clinic is such a big decision and I'm so incredibly glad that we chose this one. IVF can be such an emotional and overwhelming journey but having a clinic that offers so much support and genuinely cares for you makes such a difference. The care and kindness that we have received has been exceptional. We can't thank LWC Brentwood enough ❤️’

Laura Keary

21 October 2026, LWC Brentwood

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Sarah

21 October 2026, LWC Harrow

‘We started our treatment in July, and I have had a very positive experience with this clinic. Lorraine on reception especially made me feel like nothing was too much trouble and always knew me by name which is such a nice personal touch, especially at such a sensitive time. Along with Dr Safwat Ashour he always recommended the best treatment for us and just had such a kind caring attitude towards us while explaining our options and being very honest with us too. One of the nurses (so sorry I can’t remember your name) she only recently started in July and I felt so at home with her and cared for. To finish off we are currently pregnant with our IVF miracle all thanks you this clinic. Thank you all so much, no thanks would ever be enough for the gift you have given us!’

Sophie Jay

21 October 2026, LWC Darlington

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Ryan Harmer

21 October 2026, LWC Brighton

‘My wife and I have had a brilliant experience with LWC throughout our fertility journey. We always felt listened to, supported, and in control of the decisions we were making. Our PCC Suzanna, Dr Verstraete, and the nursing team were consistently friendly, responsive, and knowledgeable, which made navigating the shared motherhood process feel so much easier. We’re incredibly grateful for the care and support we received.’

Megan Nelkon

20 October 2026, LWC Harley Street

‘I’ve had a great experience with the clinic so far. From the very beginning, I’ve felt incredibly well cared for and supported throughout my egg freezing journey. Daenira on reception is always so lovely, welcoming and helpful, and Liv, my nurse, has been fantastic! She’s made me feel comfortable, reassured and well looked after at every step. Dr Wade has also been absolutely brilliant and I have complete confidence in the care and guidance I’ve received. I would highly recommend this clinic to anybody considering egg freezing.’

Saffy

20 October 2026, LWC Oxford

‘The most amazing experience with the clinic from start to end Nothing is to much for them They will answer every Question Worry or concern no matter how big or small, My experience and care they have shown in one of the hardest times and most worrying experiences they were there every single step of the way, I honestly couldn’t thank every member I’ve dealt with anymore and would recommend this clinic to anyone thinking about it , hardest decision but best decision every made and all the staff here made this possible for me you are all amazing caring people And I thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙏🏼🩷’

Stephanie

18 October 2026, LWC Brentwood

‘I truly feel blessed and thankful to God that we are in such a wonderful place and in such caring hands during one of the most precious journeys of our lives. The clinic has been outstanding throughout my treatment, making the entire journey feel as smooth as possible. The whole team at the Brentwood clinic is absolutely amazing, everyone is so warm, welcoming and supportive. The treatment has been incredible so far, and we are extremely satisfied with the care, support, and overall service we have received throughout our journey. Fingers crossed, I truly believe that the best news is just around the corner! ❤️🤞 I would wholeheartedly recommend Brentwood clinic for the care and support they provide in parenthood journey.’

Harika

14 October 2026, LWC Brentwood

‘London Women’s Clinic, Reading were fantastic and Nurse Nicky was such a supportive and reassuring professional. Thank you for journeying with me Nicky!’

Sope Adekola

14 October 2026, LWC Reading

‘Where to start… Fertility treatment is the last thing any of us expect to need. But if you find yourself on this journey, Brentwood London Women’s Clinic is where you want to be. Carina’s warm welcome sets the tone the moment you arrive, and every single nurse is wonderful, kind, calm, and reassuring. It’s a complicated and sometimes difficult road, but they walk it beside you. We’ve experienced both joy and heartache here, and through every moment we’ve felt cared for and supported. They truly get to know you, and the care feels personal and bespoke. Today we have our precious 3-year-old, and we will forever be thankful to this amazing team. They are everything you could hope for kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely there for you. We couldn’t recommend them more.’

Sarah Tidey

13 October 2026, LWC Brentwood

‘We honestly can’t thank London Women’s Clinic in Brentwood enough for everything they have done and continue to do for us. They helped us create our now 3 year old, and we are incredibly grateful to be back with them on our journey to hopefully have another little one. Angela and Katie are truly incredible nurses. They go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable, listened to and supported every step of the way. They take the time to explain the process, answer any questions and put your mind at ease, making what can sometimes be an overwhelming and emotional journey feel that little bit easier. It means so much to be cared for by people who genuinely seem to care about you and your family, rather than just seeing you as another patient. Their kindness, compassion and reassurance make such a difference, and we feel very lucky to have them supporting us again. We will always be grateful to London Women’s Clinic for helping us bring our little girl into the world, and we have every hope that they will help us grow our family once more. We couldn’t recommend the team highly enough. Thank you, Angela, Katie and everyone at the Brentwood clinic, for being such a special part of our journey. ❤️ Also a special mention for the smiley face in the reception. Carina, you are great!!’

bethan philp

13 October 2026, LWC Brentwood

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Jeni J

13 October 2026, LWC London Bridge

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Jesylin Luka

12 October 2026, LWC Reading

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Jess Smith

12 October 2026, LWC Brighton

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Lenka Kalafutova

10 October 2026, LWC Tunbridge Wells

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Eve Reiser

8 October 2026, LWC Reading

‘My experience was positive throughout. The team at the clinic was friendly at every visit. Suzanna was always very responsive and kind and happy to answer any questions. Dr Verstraete was always empathetic and knowledgeable! Most importantly: the outcome is a healthy baby :)’

Mir

8 October 2026, LWC Harley Street

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Moyo T

7 October 2026, LWC London Bridge

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Emma Dunning

6 October 2026, LWC Harrow

‘I’d like to say a massive thankyou to everyone at the Cambridge London clinic there all loverly, with out you guys we wouldn’t be were we are today with our little journey of having a baby 😊 not only did they help us with our pregnancy but the amount of support they have given us has been incredible. We had to have a frozen ivf and as you can imagine we were so nervous but we have been lucky enough for ours to work first time and now my partner is 7+weeks 😊 the whole way through this process has been nothing but support and kindness all members of the team that we had dealings with our amazing and it’s actually kind of sad to be leaving but we would love to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for everything’s that you guys have done for us. If your looking at going through ivf process London clinic Cambridge is the best place for this. Again thankyou so much guys we will miss you all ❤️ (April + Ricky )’

Ricky Watson

5 October 2026, LWC Cambridge

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April Dearman

5 October 2026, LWC Cambridge

‘After a lot of research at the start of what felt like quite a daunting journey, we chose the London Women's Clinic Bristol and it is one of the best decisions we have ever made. From the very first appointment, we felt genuinely looked after. The team knew our names, remembered our story, and made us feel like so much more than just patients. That warmth and care never wavered - through the uncertainty, the hope, the waiting, and ultimately the joy - and we have now been through this journey with them twice. A truly heartfelt thank you to Ana, who has been the most wonderful expert and support to have by our side through all of this. Her knowledge and her kindness have meant more than we can say. And to Ellie and Kat at reception - always there, always warm, always ready for our questions - nothing would have been the same without you both. We are now a family of four, and we carry so much gratitude for everyone at LWC Bristol & Cardiff who played a part in making that possible. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts.’

Coralie Estrade

4 October 2026, LWC Bristol

‘I am incredibly grateful for the care I received. The nursing staff and my coordinator were exceptionally supportive during the two weeks of hormone injections and tracking scans. They took the time to answer all my questions, which made a highly clinical and invasive process feel much more personal and manageable. The medical team during the egg collection procedure was also professional, reassuring, and kind. Big thanks to all of who were part of my journey.’

Chitra Banveer

3 October 2026, LWC 112 Harley Street