A kindhearted woman has served as a surrogate for her twin sister who was unable to have children as the result of a rare genetic disorder.
When Whitney Bliesner, 34, from Portland, Oregon, was in eighth grade, she was diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder called Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2), which makes person susceptible to benign tumors that form along the nerves of the brain, spinal cord and other areas.
The disorder also meant that pregnancy was too risky for Whitney, so when he twin sister Jill Noe, a former Arizona State University basketball player, found out that Whitney wanted to have children, she jumped at the chance to act as her surrogate.
Amazing! Jill Noe (R) is serving as a surrogate for her sister Whitney (L) after a rare genetic disorder that Whitney was diagnosed with has left her unable to have children
Traumatic: Whitney was diagnosed with NF2, which makes person susceptible to benign tumors that form along the nerves of the brain, spinal cord and other areas, in eighth grade
Devastated: Whitney (pictured as a child with Jill) underwent a hysterectomy when she was told that having kids would put her at too much of a risk
Love: When she got married to her husband (pictured) three years ago, Whitney said she knew she wanted to have children so she began looking into different options
Speaking to Today, Whitney revealed that NF2 caused her to lose sight in her left eye, as well as her full hearing in one ear. She also experienced partial hearing loss in her other ear.
The 34-year-old underwent a hysterectomy – an operation to remove a woman’s uterus – when she was told that having kids would put her at too much of a risk.
She was also told that if she had children, they might inherit the disorder.
Speaking to the publication, Whitney said: ‘I was trying to convince myself that I was OK with not having kids because there was no way I was going to afford adoption.
‘I got married to a wonderful man almost three years ago, and once I got married the feeling of wanting a family came back strong; so I decided to look at all my options and figure out how I could go about it,’ she added.
Whitney was told by doctors that if she wanted to have children she could get a surrogate and use a donor egg with her husband’s sperm.
However, she knew that she wasn’t going to be able to afford a surrogate, the average cost of which can range between $90,000 to $130,000, according to West Coast Surrogacy.
After hearing about her sister’s desire to have children, Jill stepped in and offered to carry her sister’s child in December 2017.
‘I was talking to my sister while we did our annual stocking stuffers and she told me she would carry for me,’ Whitney explained.
Jill said the decision to act as a surrogate for her sister and husband, Pete, was easy to make, and that she knew Whitney would do the same for her if she was in that position.
Kind: When she realized her sister was eager to have children but couldn’t afford adoption or a surrogate, Jill stepped in and offered to serve as Whitney’s surrogate in December 2017
Excitement: Jill is now 29 weeks pregnant with Whitney’s twins, who are due to be delivered by C-section on Thursday, June 6
Grateful: Whitney said she is excited to have twins because she knows that her children will now have a similar ‘bond’ that she and Jill share
Appreciative: Whitney said Jill has been very open and understanding during the pregnancy, as she said ‘this is the closest I could get to actually having the babies inside me’
She explained: ‘She’s always wanted to be a mom and her disease has already taken so much from her. I wasn’t going to allow (NF2) to take this opportunity from her, too. She’s my best friend and I know she would have done the same for me.
‘I really didn’t put much thought into becoming a surrogate at all. It just felt like the right thing to do.
‘Our family is so strong and so supportive of one another, especially since Whit’s diagnosis in 8th grade,’ she added.
After the first round of IVF – process of fertilization during which an egg is combined with sperm outside the body – failed, they tried again, and were successful.
And when Whitney found out she would be having twins, she was delighted.
She said: ‘I am excited about having twins because I am a twin and I know what kind of bond my sister and I have so I wanted my kids to have that and go through life with a best friend they came into the world with just like me and Jill.’
Jill said that although she isn’t ready to have children just yet, she definitely hopes to have a family in the future.
She said she plans to have children in ‘two to three years’ so that her kids can grow up with Whitney’s twins – which are due to be delivered via C-section on Thursday, June 6.
Speaking about her sister’s open attitude throughout the pregnancy, Whitney said: ‘Jill has been amazing during this whole process.
‘She lets me ask her all these weird questions, lets me touch her stomach; and it’s just amazing because this is the closest I could get to actually having the babies inside me,’ she added.