Pioneering treatment brings baby joy (From Western Telegraph)

Pioneering treatment brings baby joy

BABY Trystan Thomas is a very special new arrival for his parents Roger and Jayne.

For he is the child that 42-year-old Roger never believed he would be able to father after being paralysed from the neck down in a school rugby match when he was 17.

The Tenby couple travelled to America last year for pioneering treatment and celebrated Jaynes pregnancy with their wedding in October. Little Trystan - weighing in at a healthy 8 pounds 14 ounces - made his entrance into the world at Withybush Hospital a fortnight ago, the day before Rogers birthday on February 28th.

He is just what we had always hoped for, said his proud dad this week. Any worries and setbacks we had along the way have all been vindicated. We are just so delighted.

Roger met Jayne, now 36, ten years ago when she started work as his carer. The couple fell in love and talked about having children, but were discouraged by doctors because of the extent of Rogers disability. But through the internet they learned of the revolutionary work in America - which involves an operation to extract sperm - to enable paralysed men to father their own children.

The £25,000 cost of the treatment was met through a £5,000 donation from the Welsh Rugby Union and a private loan. After all the waiting and worrying, Trystans birth was not without its anxious moments, Roger revealed.

Jayne had quite a long labour and lost a lot of blood at the end, and there was a scare when Trystan was born with the cord around his neck, which meant he had to be taken to Special Care. I was there throughout the birth, but met him properly when he was brought back to the ward where he started feeding straight away, he said.

It was wonderful, and he started the way he means to go on as he takes his dining very seriously indeed!

Jayne and Trystan were back home at Coed-y-Glyn, Narberth Road, after a week and sharing their joy is Rogers father Denzil, together with friends, family and well-wishers from far and near.

Weve had more post than Christmas here, and would like to thank everyone for their kind thoughts and good wishes, said Roger.

Tenby couple Roger and Jayne Thomas share the joy of their new baby son Trystan - born after pioneering USA treatment. Roger, aged 42, has defeated the odds to become a father after being paralysed from the neck down in a rugby match 25 years ago.

PICTURE: Gareth Davies Photography.