Having my son at 54 'gave our family hope'

A GRIEVING mother who lost an 11-year-old daughter gave birth at the age of 54 thanks to a stranger.

- huey bang

Carolyn Mayling, now 68, used donor eggs from a stranger in Moldova to fall pregnant with son Dom, who is now 14.

Carolyn, who has just published a book about her experiences, said: I didn’t give birth at 54 as a replacement for Rosie, but to help fill the void from losing her. I wanted to give our family a future.”

Rosie fell ill with a cough while rehearsing a Christmas panto in 2002. Carolyn said it got worse and eventually they found pulmonary embolisms in arteries to her lungs.

Rosie had surgery to remove the blood clots, but eventually she was diagnosed with vasculitis, an autoimmune disease affecting blood vessels.