Unborn twins become mummy's lifesavers

London, Feb 4 (UNI) Michelle Stepney brought her unborn twins to life -- like all mothers do, but in first of its kind case, the babies reciprocated and gave her a new life by dislodging her tumour with their kicks.

The constant kicking of the babies in the womb managed to dislodge the cervical cancer developed inside the thirty five-year-old.

The cancer was detected by doctors when she was taken to hospital with a suspected miscarriage. She was told that without the kicks from the babies the cancer might not have been discovered until it was too late.

She was, however, advised to terminate the pregnancy in order to treat the cancer for which she needed immediate chemotherapy and a hysterectomy.

Mrs Stepney refused saying, ''I owe my life to my girls, and that's why I could have never agreed with a termination.'' She waited for her lifesaving treatment until they had been born. ''I knew I could have an operation straight away and it would cure me of the cancer, but that would mean getting rid of my babies and I couldn't do that.'' The doctors gave Mrs Stepney reduced chemotherapy in the hope of stopping the cancer spreading during the pregnancy.

The girls were born without any hair as a result of the chemotherapy, but other than that, they were healthy.

Ms Stepney has been nominated for a Woman of Courage award by Cancer Research UK Race for Life and will be honoured at a ceremony here on February 12.

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