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Tennessee woman carries baby for twin sister diagnosed with cancer

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Posted at 12:14 PM, Jun 03, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-03 14:17:06-04

FRANKLIN, Tenn. — A Tennessee mom is now carrying her twin sister's baby after her sister was diagnosed with cancer.

Sarah Sharp says she found out back in July 2018 that she had a rare form of cancer called choriocarcinoma, which forms in a uterus after a pregnancy or miscarriage from leftover placental cells.

Sharp, now 33 years old, was diagnosed roughly a year after giving birth to her first child, Charlotte.

"It rocked me to my core," said Sharp. "My OB never had a case, so it was pretty rare as cancer in general. I was coming out of a postpartum phase but had a prolonged period for 30 days which is abnormal."

Sarah knew she would need her faith and her family to get through it the first time. She had to undergo chemo and right before her 32nd birthday, she was cancer-free.

But then it came back and that time, Sharp had to get a hysterectomy.

When Sarah's twin sister, Cathey Stoner, found out that she needed a hysterectomy, Stoner found a powerful way to show her support.

"She went to me and held my hand and said, 'I really will if you want to have more babies, I really will carry them,'" Sharp explained.

It was a promise Stoner, a mom of two, made sure to follow through on.

"We waited until Sarah was a year out and then started having conversations with husbands and family and talking to fertility specialists and doors just opened for us to love and serve them in this way for our nephew," Stoner said.

A new chapter began with a new life.

"It's been a really powerful example of giving back and serving someone, an actionable way to love," Sharp said.

Baby boy John Ryder's due date is in August.

The twins have a podcast documenting their surrogacy journey in detail. If you want to check it out click here.

This story was originally published by Seena Sleem at WTVF.