Couple issue desperate Christmas plea for baby after years of heartbreak

A Southport couple are asking people to help give them the best Christmas present anyone could ask for – a baby. 

Natalie and Matt Harris have endured a heartbreaking few years in their determination to become loving parents. 

Their devastating experiences include two unexplained miscarriages, two ectopic pregnancies, one chemical pregnancy, and five failed IVF transfers over three cycles. 

Now they are asking Santa for the one thing that would end their years of heartbreak and give them the one thing they have always wanted. 

A GoFundMe appeal has now been set up to help them to reach their target of raising £8,000 which would secure one cycle of IVF treatment with medication. 

Their friend Kellie Barnett said ‘they have been through more heartbreak than most go through in their entire lives’ in a period when Matt lost his Grandad through dementia while Nat’s Dad died from bowel cancer. 

Natalie said: “I am 40 so time is not on our side. Matt is 28. Matt is from Southport, I am from Warwickshire. 

“Being able to raise the funds we need for another cycle of IVF treatment would mean the absolute world to us. It’s what we have been working towards for the last seven years.

“The majority of our relationship has been built on trauma, baby loss, IVF and infertility. It has made us stronger as a couple.

“We have never asked for help or support and didn’t want to, but we are desperate.”

The couple’s friend Kellie Barnett is organising the fundraiser on behalf of the couple. 

A GoFundMe appeal has been set up to help secure IVF treatment for Natalie and Matt Harris

She said: “Anyone that knows my good friend Nat will know how much heartbreak she has endured.

“All she has ever wanted since being a little girl is to be a Mummy.

“In 2012 she met her wonderful husband Matt and found happiness.

“A year later she was over the moon to find she was pregnant. But unfortunately she lost the baby. This was to be the beginning of years of upset and heartache. From that moment all they wanted was a baby.

“In 2015 I found out I was pregnant with my first child, I was so worried about how I was going to tell Nat and Matt. I wanted them to be the first to know, being my best friends, but it was a very bittersweet moment for me. On one hand I was happy to be having a baby, but on the other hand I thought I’d upset my friends after they had tried so hard to conceive with no luck, and it just happened so easy for us.

“Of course Nat and Matt were happy for us, I told Nat my feelings, which she quickly put me at ease and told me to stop being silly, and she would be happy to be an auntie to my baby, anything to hold a baby in her arms. But she had news of her own, she was pregnant! But again another heartache, another baby lost.

“They had tests and discovered Nat has PCOS, a condition that affects ovulation and many other things. Also Nat was diagnosed with a thyroid disease, and would be on medication for the rest of her life. These conditions cause horrendous symptoms. 

“In 2017 a fertility drug was given to help with her PCOS and she fell pregnant! Unfortunately this baby was ectopic, so not only did she lose another baby, she then had to endure lots of operations and tests. This resulted in her having to have one fallopian tube clipped as it was damaged. However they said that the right tube was OK, despite six months earlier saying it was blocked.”

Natalie and Matt met nine years ago. 

She said: “We met in Stratford-uipon-Avon. I am from near Coventry, Matt from southport. He was on a university placement and we started working at the Holiday Inn on the same day.

“Around seven months later we got together and moved into a house in Stratford-upon-Avon.” 

When Natalie was at school she began working as a travel agent in 1996 and has done lots of jobs since. She worked at Toys R Us as a loss prevention officer, was an office manager at Willmott Dixon, and worked in various RNIB schools. 

She ran a wedding confetti business in March, when the Covid-19 pandemic put a stop to it. 

She has since enjoyed temporary jobs working at Southport Pleasureland and is now working in a temporary role at Boots in Southport. 

Matt has worked at a number of hotels in Southport and is currently working as a delivery driver for Tesco supermarket. 

They married three years ago and have been desperately hoping for a baby ever since. 

Now they are hoping people can help them to become a real family. 

Kellie said: “Nat had already researched this and discovered that where we live in Warwickshire they only give one IVF on the NHS, but Southport gave three funded on NHS.

“Another reason for moving to Southport was Matt’s Grandad who was suffering with dementia. Tragically (he passed away five weeks after they moved there.

“So wanting to have the most chances as possible they decided to make the move to Southport, Matt’s hometown, away from close friends and Natalie’s family, in hope of making their dreams come true.

“in 2019 a miracle happened, Nat fell pregnant! But an early scan showed it was ectopic again. This time their baby had a heartbeat, but still had to have surgery to be removed as it would have been life threatening.

“So along with her baby, Nat’s other fallopian tube had to be removed.

“This baby is buried in their garden as it was so previous that despite being given a chemotherapy drug to terminate, it continued to grow a heartbeat.

A GoFundMe appeal has been set up to help secure IVF treatment for Natalie and Matt Harris

“Going into theatre the surgeon assured Natalie that removing both fallopian tubes would give the best chance of IVF and he said IVF would work first time. How wrong he was.

“When Nat came around from the operation she was told her bowel was attached to her right fallopian tube and that her insides were like a spider web. It was a devastating blow to them both.

“Still grieving for their fourth baby and the loss of Nat’s fertility – she could never get pregnant naturally now with no fallopian tubes – they were told three weeks later that Nat’s Dad had bowel cancer. It was unbelievable. Just 12 days later he died. This was just tragic and Nat’s mental health was at breaking point. 

“On top of this they knew that they would never conceive naturally, which Nat would have done anything for.

“I was heartbroken for them and wished there was more I could do for them.

“From there they were offered three NHS IVF cycles.

“In a gruelling 10 months they had five transfers, all negative. Each day Nat would have to inject herself to harvest as many eggs as possible. During IVF, it can fail at any time, but Nat responded amazingly and got lots of eggs each time. 

“Over the last year, not only have they had IVF to contend with, they also lost Matt’s Grandad, Nat’s Dad to a very short battle with bowel cancer, and both of Nat’s beloved dogs Hugo and Harvey.

“Then due to Covid Nat lost her job, so has been doing temporary jobs as and when she can.

“It has been very stressful, and breaks my heart to see such a lovely couple go through so much heartache.

“They have now come to the end of their NHS IVFs.

“Nat broke the news to me this week that unfortunately they have been unsuccessful yet again. 

“The consultants can’t see a reason why the IVF isn’t working, and are saying they are just ‘unlucky’ it could still happen.

“Unfortunately ‘unlucky’ is a reoccurring scenario for them. 

“It has been so hard for them more so living somewhere with no friends to support 

them through this tough time.

“I know there have been times where I have been really worried about them both, and just wanted to be there for them.

“So this is my way of supporting my best friends.

A GoFundMe appeal has been set up to help secure IVF treatment for Natalie and Matt Harris

“They need help to pay for future IVFs which is very costly as most will know, and I want to raise the money to  support their dreams. Just to see an IVF consultant is £250.

“I am asking for everyone’s help in this, please donate what you can, if you can’t donate then please share and be a part of making this couple’s dreams come true.

“They have been through more heartbreak than most go through in their entire lives. The majority of their 8 year relationship has been trauma.

“If anyone deserves to be parents it’s these two wonderful people.

“I hope you can help me and my friends in their journey to become a Mummy and

Daddy.

“Imagine playing a part in this for this special couple, I’m hoping this time next year I can  get in touch and say we’ve been successful… with your help.

“So please, help us and donate.”

• IF you can help please donate through the GoFundMe page Help Nat and Matt become a Mummy and Daddy here.

Do you have any stories for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com