As debate rages over Sarah Jessica Parker’s decision to pay a woman to carry her babies, an Australian mum tells Jackie Brygel her own surrogacy story.
Melbourne mum Fiona Rushford knows all too well what Sarah Jessica Parker has gone through to expand her family.
Eight-and-a-half years ago, Fiona’s sister Laura Clark gave birth to Fiona’s much-longed-for only child, Phillippa.
Sarah Jessica, 44, and her actor husband Matthew Broderick have controversially become the parents of twin daughters, Marion Loretta Elwell and Tabitha Hodge via a surrogate mum. But Fiona urges people not to cast judgment over their paid-for babies.
“I have heard some criticism about the lady who carried the twins for her and I think people should look beyond that and just think what a wonderful gift this lady has given to Sarah and her husband,” Fiona says. “They have had one child [six-year-old son James Wilkie] naturally, but you don’t know what people’s circumstances are.”
After several miscarriages, 10 years of IVF treatment and an ectopic pregnancy, Fiona had almost lost hope of becoming a mother when Laura, who has two children of her own – Lochlan, now 11, and Serena, 13 – presented her with a life-changing offer.
Aware that her sister’s dream may never be realised, Laura announced that she wanted to act as Fiona’s unpaid surrogate. For Fiona, it was the light at the end of a long, dark tunnel.
“Laura and her husband Dominic said, ‘If you’ve got embryos, maybe if you put one in a good oven – which was Laura’s way of saying it – it might happen’, ” Fiona smiles. “Dom was very supportive and still is.”
“I just felt that it was the right thing to do,” says Laura matter-of-factly.
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