This is a beautiful symbol of hope.
It took Kimberly and Patricia O’Neill four years to have a baby.
The couple spent a total of $40,000 (€44,537), suffered 3 agonising miscarriages, and used 1,616 needles to conceive.
Just over two weeks ago their dream came true and they welcomed London O’Neill into the world.
Photographer Samantha Packer has since shared a heartwarming photo of Kimberly and Patricia’s little one surrounded by the exact amount of needles it took to conceive her.
https://www.facebook.com/packerfamilyphotography/posts/1168360729986286
New mum Patricia spoke about the couple’s painful IVF journey. She told CNN:
“I hope that there’s a couple out there that’s going through what we are that can see that there’s hope at the end of the tunnel.”
“There’s a light and you just have to get there.”
The touching image, which has gone viral, represents the fertility struggles that the doting parents endured. Patricia used blood-thinning needles twice a day and IVF injections in her efforts to conceive.
The 30-year-old added:
“My wife saved every single needle that I injected, all capped and plastic seals around them and everything.”
Patricia met Kimberly six years ago when they both worked at a daycare. They began trying for a baby a year into their relationship and got married in 2017.
Both mums have children of their own from previous relationships. Patricia has a seven-year-old daughter and Kimberly has a 14-year-old son.
During the course of their IVF treatment, doctors discovered Patricia had a blood-clotting condition which led to her having three miscarriages.
She wanted to give up, but the couple from Arizona persevered. They now have their miracle baby and couldn’t be happier.
