It looks the perfect family snap of a doting new mum and dad with their newborn son. But behind this heartwarming picture lies a terrifying tragedy and a moving testament to the power of sibling love. Because smiling mum Nicola, 28, is dying of cancer. And the man with his arm around her is not her baby’s father but the remarkable brother who will raise her little son as his own after she has gone. Dad-of-two Graeme, 29, and his wife Christina offered to adopt eight-week-old Archer after the lad’s real dad asked not to have any involvement. Nicola says: “The moment I looked into Archer’s eyes, it was perfect. It was like everything I ever wanted was right there.“It makes it better knowing I can see the people who are going to be caring for him. Archer’s not just like my baby, he’s all of ours.”Little Archer’s very existence is a miracle in itself. Because Nicola fell pregnant with him during a fling with an old flame after being told by doctors that the treatment for her terminal brain cancer would leave her infertile. Now she is determined to enjoy every precious second with her son while balancing the joy of being a new mum with the heartbreak of knowing she will not be there for him as he grows up. She’s already been shopping for birthday, graduation and even wedding cards for him for years to come. She has also made videos to help Archer find out about his mum.
And she’s making sure he has an extra special bond with his remarkable uncle and aunt who have two ready-made siblings for him. Aaron, aged five months, and Elijah, 22 months. Nicola says: “It’s a huge relief for me, knowing he will be with my family, having seen how my brother is bringing up his sons.”Graeme, 29, adds: “We’re making arrangements to go and see Archer on a regular basis, with our boys. They’ll be a little group when they’re growing up together.“I don’t know anyone who has been through what Nicola has been through and been so strong.”Doctors diagnosed her with aggressive stage four cancer glioblastoma multiforme in 2015 and gave her a year to live after removing a tennis ball-sized growth and giving her chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Nicola, who already had two children a daughter, six, and son, nine, now living with their dad declined an offer to freeze her eggs.
So she was astonished when she found she was pregnant after dating an old flame.“It was a shock. They didn’t think I would make another year,” says Nicola.“It’s just so unreal.“But I’ve been in love with him since he was just a bump.”Despite her prognosis, Nicola did not think twice about keeping her baby.“When I first found I was pregnant a lot of people said I was wrong to continue with it knowing the end result,” she adds.“But I knew it was the right thing to do. It was a light at the end of the tunnel. I have had my life taken away from me and I was told it was the end. Now I have a life to give.”After she broke the news of her pregnancy, her family gathered to discuss the future. When Graeme offered to adopt her baby Nicola burst into tears of joy and relief. The two have always been close. Graeme says: “When we were children we always played house.“Nicola loves children and she’s always happy to see my kids.“My wife brought it up that we could adopt Archer, but it had been on my mind.
When I spoke to Nicola about it, she started crying and said it was a huge weight off hers.”Nicola adds: “It was the first thing we started to discuss what was best for the baby. Archer will be adopted by Graeme as soon as my illness starts to progress into the final stages.”Sadly, that day seems to be drawing closer after a second tumour was found. A week after Archer’s birth by C-section in August weighing 7lbs 4oz, Graeme travelled to his sister’s home in Fleetwood, Lancs, to meet him. But within days Nicola was readmitted to hospital with health problems. She says: “A day after finding out there was another tumour I had the biggest seizure I’ve ever had, which paralysed my left side. I cried and cried.”She was left unable to walk unaided, and with that vanished any hope of changing nappies, bathing her newborn, even carrying him. Nicola faced another eight-hour operation to remove the tumour on October 6 and will soon start chemotherapy designed to give her as much time as possible with her son.
The thought of becoming well enough to change his nappies is keeping her going.“None of us expected I’d deteriorate that quickly,” she says.“At the moment I need help with him as my left side doesn’t work. "I’m looking forward to a time when I can do those things. I know I’ll be back to normal again after the treatment.”Meanwhile, supermarket worker Graeme, who lives in Glasgow with Christina, 28, has regular Skype calls with Nicola to ensure Archer knows their voices. The two women formed a close bond while pregnant at the same time and are spending as much time together as possible during Christina’s visits. Caring Christina had no doubts about offering to bring Archer up.“When Nicola found out she was pregnant, I was expecting Aaron he’s only four months older than Archer,” she says.“I was thinking about it at the time but I didn’t mention it. After Aaron was born, it just felt right.” But Archer’s future had been keeping her awake at night.
“When Aaron was about a month old I said to Graeme, ‘I just can’t spend another night not knowing where Archer’s going to go’. I wanted something secure in place.”The family are making the decision legal via social services and a solicitor. Nicola has named Graeme as Archer’s ‘special guardian’ which gives him parental rights in her will. He will be allowed to adopt Archer and will step in when Nicola needs help. Nicola says Archer’s birth dad is aware of the agreement, but has not met his son and is not on the birth certificate. She still has regular contact with the father of her two other children who she says adore their half-brother.
She will spend the coming weeks and months writing heartfelt messages in the cards, and is keeping a daily diary, recording all the things she and Archer have been doing together.“Every day I write about what we’ve done, what nursery rhymes I’ve been singing to him,” Nicola says. “We’ve made videos so he can remember the sound of my voice.” And she has made memory books for her other children. She says: “I just want to fill in the gaps, so even when I’m not there, Archer will have something to let him know I’ve always thought of him.