A 56-year-old woman has helped her daughter-in-law become a mother by carrying her baby after a rare cancer diagnosis and a series of life-changing surgeries left the younger woman unable to carry a pregnancy. Jessie Boren volunteered to become a gestational surrogate for her daughter-in-law, MaKayla Boren, after she was diagnosed with uterine sarcoma at the age of 25.
The couple, MaKayla and her husband, Jordan Boren, had preserved embryos before her hysterectomy, hoping to keep the possibility of having a biological child alive. Their journey eventually led to Jessie carrying their baby, who was born via C-section three months ago.
Speaking to TODAY.com, MaKayla opened up about her cancer diagnosis, the difficult decisions that followed and how her mother-in-law’s extraordinary gesture helped her realise her dream of motherhood.
MaKayla Boren was diagnosed with rare cancer weeks after starting graduate school
MaKayla Boren was diagnosed with uterine sarcoma at 25 and underwent a hysterectomy before her mother-in-law stepped in to help her become a mother. (Photo: Instagram)
MaKayla began graduate school in the fall of 2023. Less than a month later, she discovered that she had uterine sarcoma, a rare form of cancer.
“I saw three different oncologists because it’s a rare cancer and even more rare for my age, so they didn’t really know what to do with me,” the Utah woman told TODAY.com.
After consulting multiple specialists, MaKayla finally found a doctor who recommended a hysterectomy. However, the surgery raised serious concerns about her ability to have biological children.
“She said that if you want the chance at having biological kids, you have to do egg retrieval and create embryos prior to your hysterectomy because I can’t guarantee if we’ll be able to keep your ovaries,” MaKayla recalled her doctor telling her.
The young woman underwent egg retrieval and created embryos during the finals week of her first semester of graduate school. She then had a hysterectomy during winter break.
Although her surgeon initially managed to preserve her ovaries, subsequent pathology results showed that the cancer had been extremely close to her fallopian tubes. As a result, MaKayla had to undergo another surgery to have her ovaries removed during spring break.
Reflecting on her recovery, she said she had recently reached the three-year mark since her diagnosis.
“I just hit my three-year diagnosis date,” she said. “Recurrence is most likely in the first two to three years, so hopefully at this point, the surgeries were curative.”
How MaKayla’s 56-year-old mother-in-law volunteered to carry her baby
Jessie Boren carried her daughter-in-law’s baby after the couple preserved embryos before MaKayla underwent cancer treatment. (Photo: Instagram)
Despite preserving embryos before her surgery, MaKayla and Jordan initially had no definite plan for how they would have a child.
“Not really,” MaKayla said when asked whether they had decided what to do with their embryos. She added that some family members had volunteered to help, but making such a commitment was different from completing the medical clearance and other requirements.
One person, however, remained determined to help: Jessie, MaKayla’s mother-in-law.
Jessie offered to carry a baby for the couple soon after MaKayla’s diagnosis, recognising that her daughter-in-law might not be able to experience pregnancy herself.
“She offered early on when I was diagnosed,” MaKayla recalled. “She was like, ‘I wish I could like take this from you, but since I can’t, if it’s possible I would be willing to carry a baby for you.’”
For MaKayla, the offer came from someone she already shared a close bond with. She said she had no hesitation about having Jessie carry her child.
“I feel like so many people have issues with their mother-in-law but there was nothing that I had any concerns about. Me and my mother-in-law have an amazing relationship,” she said.
MaKayla described Jessie as one of the most selfless people she knew, someone who was constantly thinking about others and finding ways to help them.
The couple’s journey to surrogacy took a year
The process of arranging the embryo transfer took time. MaKayla and Jordan first approached their doctor about the possibility of a transfer, but it took approximately a year before the procedure could be scheduled.
The clinic had an age limit of 55 for gestational surrogates, which meant the family had to begin the process before Jessie turned 56.
Their first embryo transfer was unsuccessful. The second, however, worked, giving the family hope that they would finally welcome a child.
Pregnancy was not easy for Jessie. MaKayla said her mother-in-law was “pretty sick for about half the pregnancy”. Nevertheless, she praised the care Jessie took of her health throughout the experience.
“She’s taken amazing care of her health and probably had a healthier pregnancy than a lot of my friends in their 20s,” MaKayla said.
The experience also brought the family closer. MaKayla and Jordan moved in with Jessie and her husband during the pregnancy, allowing them to share the journey and support one another.
MaKayla’s own mother, who is a few years older than Jessie, was also supportive. Recalling her mother’s reaction, MaKayla said she had acknowledged how remarkable Jessie’s decision was, while admitting that she could not imagine undertaking the same experience herself.
Family receives special permission to be present at the baby’s birth
MaKayla and her husband welcomed their baby boy via C-section three months ago. (Photo: Instagram)
Three months ago, MaKayla and Jordan finally welcomed their son, who was born through a C-section after being carried by Jessie.
The birth became an especially emotional moment for the family, as MaKayla, Jordan, Jessie and Jessie’s husband received special permission to be present in the delivery room.
MaKayla described the arrangement as “unheard of”. Her father-in-law also captured the moment when she embraced Jessie in a heartfelt hug to thank her for helping make motherhood possible.
The baby initially spent a week in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) because of blood sugar issues. The experience brought additional challenges for MaKayla, who had already begun preparing to breastfeed her child before his arrival.
MaKayla shares her breastfeeding journey after inducing lactation
Knowing that she would not carry the pregnancy herself, MaKayla began inducing lactation before her son’s birth. The process involved medication and physical stimulation to encourage her body to produce breast milk.
“It’s been quite the process,” she said.
However, because her son spent his first week in the NICU, she could not nurse him directly during that period, which could have helped establish her milk supply. He later became accustomed to feeding from a bottle and was reluctant to nurse.
“Because he got used to a bottle, he doesn’t like to nurse,” MaKayla explained. “It’s frustrating because I put in all this effort, but I’m still pumping. So he’s still getting breast milk, but I only make about half of what he eats.”
Despite the challenges, MaKayla considers the experience a success. She said the journey had taught her to let go of expectations and accept circumstances as they unfolded.
“A lot of this journey in general has helped me to realize I have to just throw all my expectations out the door and just accepting things as they come,” she said.
MaKayla and Jordan are considering surrogacy again
Although the couple has welcomed their son, they are already exploring the possibility of expanding their family through surrogacy again.
MaKayla said financial constraints remain the biggest obstacle, but she has applied for a surrogacy grant and expects to hear back about the application in December.
For now, the family is drawing strength from its faith, which MaKayla said has played a central role throughout the experience.
“Faith is everything,” she said, describing its importance to both herself and Jessie.
After a cancer diagnosis, multiple surgeries and a long journey to parenthood, MaKayla and Jordan are now raising their son with the help of a family member whose willingness to carry their baby changed their lives.
“And now we have this beautiful little miracle,” MaKayla said.