Cancer survivors urge others to check fertility

AMELIA and Robi Boscarino want young cancer sufferers to “think about your fertility and make sure you ask questions and inform yourself”.

Both are cancer survivors who met at the inaugural Relay For Life Joondalup Wanneroo in 2008.

Amelia battled liver and kidney cancer from just six years old and Robi suffered from lymphoma from the age of 16.

Robi said fertility was the furthest thing from their minds given how young they were when diagnosed. Their friendship turned to love, with them marrying two years ago.

Amelia said they turned to IVF knowing they would have difficulties conceiving.

They were over the moon when Amelia found out she was pregnant after more than a year of fertility treatment. But heartbreak soon followed, with Amelia suffering a miscarriage.

The following year they received the news that Amelia was pregnant again and she almost fell off the ultrasound table when she was told that the egg had split and she was carrying identical twins.

Although Amelia has been in and out of hospital during her pregnancy, the babies are a healthy size and her doctors are happy with how her pregnancy is progressing.

Coincidentally, the babies are due around the time of this year’s Relay For Life Joondalup Wanneroo, the very place that Amelia and Robi first met.

About 70 teams with almost 900 participants will take part in the annual fundraising event at HBF Arena on October 19-20.

The organisers have already raised more than $250,000 of their $300,000 target – donate here.