DENVER (KDVR) — The journey to motherhood is not always traditional, particularly for those in the fight for their lives against cancer. One survivor in Colorado was extremely grateful on Mother’s Day with her firstborn now on the way.

At 30 years old, Anabelle McLean learned she had stage three breast cancer. Just a year into her marriage at the time, McLean and her husband had to make several big decisions about chemo and fertility options.

“After chemotherapy, treatment and fertility can be as high as 30 to 40% for women,” Rose Medical Center Oncologist Dr. Kayla Griffith said. “You have this dichotomy and paradox of how you have a life-threatening illness. Let’s get you to the things we need to save your life. But we’ll back up for just a second. You know, what does your future look like? And do you want to be a mother?”

McLean quickly decided to go through the IVF process before chemotherapy. 

“We were really lucky that we were able to retrieve eight healthy embryos,” McLean said. “For which we just said, ‘We’ll just put those on ice and see what we want to do with those later.’” 

McLean has now been cancer-free for four and a half years, getting ready to not only hold the title of survivor but mom now too.

“We are now 30 weeks pregnant with our neighbor and surrogate who is so fantastic and so generous and completely amazing,” McLean said.

The McLean’s neighbor Katie is stepping in as a surrogate for the couple, carrying their first child — a daughter.

“Cancer forces you to deal with really difficult change and I’m looking forward to finally facing a very welcoming change for our family,” McLean said.