This week’s feel-good, make-you-cry, remind-you-that-the-world-is-beautiful moment was brought to you via a Facebook video posted by Beca Evans of Wales, U.K. The video shows Marisha Chaplin on one side and the surprise video her fellow mom-friends made for her on the other. We watch as Marisha’s expression change from confusion, to shock, to overwhelmed with appreciation and love when she learns what her friends have done.
Beca tells Her View From Home that Marisha and her partner Jon both survived cancer as teenagers, and Marisha’s cancer caused her body to go into early menopause. With the help of IVF (in-vitro fertilization), the couple was able to have their baby Evie, but time (and money) were running out to preserve the eggs they had left. Beca explains, “The embryos they had frozen from Evie’s egg donor are only kept in storage until August 2018 then they are discarded unless Marisha pays £600 a month for storage which she obviously couldn’t afford to do so basically they had until August to get the £2,000 or their chance would be gone.”
With as much as 12% of women facing issues with fertility, IVF technology continues to improve with each passing year. And it’s because of this modern technology that Marisha and Jon have Evie. Unfortunately, however, it’s still incredibly expensive and not something everyone can always afford, especially the second time around.
So that’s why Marisha’s friends stepped up. Beca tells HVFH that she started a secret Facebook group called “Marisha’s May Babies Fund” and added all the other girls from their May baby group apart from Marisha. “Everyone was so positive and was happy to help so I set up a GoFundMe page, which we didn’t share publicly and the money slowly went up. Each time one of us was paid we would throw in 5 or 10 pounds so it was a massive group effort. I also put up loads of raffles on the page to raise funds,” Beca says.
Once the group was ready to share their surprise with Marisha, they decided to create a video with all those who helped included. The group wrote a poem and gave each lady a line. Beca says, “They then had 2 weeks to take a picture of themselves or family holding their sign and send it back to me. Then I put it all together into the video.” The first few images are of Marisha’s family and friends holding signs that say “We have a secret we are longing to share.” The poem continues with “We know you are worried that Evie may not have a brother or a sister”… “We gave it our all” and created “A bank account named Miracle Attempt #2.” And when Marisha sees that her friends raised £2,000, she breaks down in sobs. (So do I every time I watch it, which I’ve done several times.)
What a beautiful testament to the bonds that form in mom groups. And the power of love and friendship among women. Hopefully Marisha can someday bring home a sibling for baby Evie, but even if she doesn’t, she certainly has a circle of love around her who will be there no matter what.