Jess Battison
The mum who learned she had terminal cancer only days after welcoming her new baby has sadly died.
Taylor Johnston, 29, gave birth to her ‘miracle’ IVF daughter Billie Mae on 19 May.
After she married husband Jesse, 29, in 2022, the pair decided to go down the path of IVF as they’d been struggling to fall pregnant.
Their first round of treatment didn’t work out, but their second brought them little Billie.
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After a 25-hour labour and ‘a scary emergency c section’, their ‘beautiful baby girl’ was born ‘beautiful and healthy’.
Taylor found out only 10 days after that she was suspected of having cervical cancer.
This diagnosis was upgraded to bone marrow cancer and a GoFundMe was set up to help the Victoria family ‘during this unknown time’.
Family members wrote: “Billie was still in her first couple of months in this world when her mother started extensive hospital appointments, MRI’s, PET scans and the dreaded waiting of the unknown, but all they cared about was their beautiful baby girl was in their arms.
“They were so happy. Their world was complete. Then the hospital started asking for Taylor to stay overnight for more tests, the concerns grew.”
The new mother sadly passed away on 18 September, with the GoFundMe updated with the tragic news: “On September 18, our beautiful Taylor grew her wings and is now our angel always looking down on us.”
The page has so far raised over AU$75,000 (£39,394) and tributes have flooded in from loved ones as they remember the Melbourne mum.
Left without his wife, Jesse wrote a message he ‘never thought he’d be posting at his age’ on Facebook, reports news.com.au: “My beautiful girl, you were my absolute world and always will be! You will live on through our baby girl forever. I know that you will always be watching down on us. I will thank you every day for gifting me with our Billie girl.
“I really don’t know what else to say other than I love you more than anything and I will always have you close to my heart. I will wear my ring every single day to remember you.
“You fought so hard and I’m so proud of you. Fly high and rest in peace my angel.”
Her sports club, Rye Football and Netball Club, also paid tribute on social media: “Taylor was loved by all those that she met and shared the court or dance floor with her. A feisty and determined defender on the court and Rye player for the past seven years.
“It was Taylor’s kind and positive personality that made her the ultimate teammate and friend.”