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Thanks so much for bearing our child
A couple have spoken of their joy after a surrogate gave birth to the child they thought they would never have.
Mum-of-two Kate Housley endured a five-hour labour before Hannah O'Driscoll was born at St Mary's Hospital, weighing 10lb 1oz.
But the tot was handed straight to intended parents Fiona and Andrew O'Driscoll after her arrival at 4.08am on October 9.
Mrs O'Driscoll, 38, was born without a womb, so surrogacy or adoption were their only hope.
Now their lives are complete thanks to Mrs Housley, 32, from Kensington Road, Copnor, Portsmouth, who agreed to carry the couple's IVF baby after meeting them through not-for-profit organisation Surrogacy UK.
Mrs O'Driscoll, 38, from Highgate, London, was in the delivery room with Kate's husband Dennis when Hannah was born and even cut the cord.
She said: 'There's no way we can ever thank Kate and Dennis enough for what they have done for us.
'I couldn't believe it when I held Hannah in my arms. I didn't think I would ever experience that moment. I think I was in shock for the first couple of hours and I have slowly been taking it in.
'Dennis and Kate have done an incredible thing for us and we will always owe them an enormous debt.'
The couples have vowed to stay in touch now Hannah has been born.
They formed a close bond during the surrogacy and the O'Driscolls plan to bring their daughter up with the knowledge of how she was brought into the world.
The Housleys' children Nathan, eight, and Ruth, six, were involved in the whole process and have already been introduced to baby Hannah.
Mrs O'Driscoll said: 'Kate will always be a part of Hannah's life.
'When I was watching Kate go through labour I felt genuine love for her of a type that's very rare to feel.
'Knowing that someone could do something like that for you could make your heart burst. There's no going back from that. I know that we will be friends forever.
'Hannah will love (Kate] and we will make sure she knows just how important (she] is.'
clare.semke@thenews.co.uk
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Saturday 11 February 2012
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