For Emily Hausman, this Christmas season holds a profound and bittersweet significance. The 43-year-old mother from Utah, USA, is celebrating her first festive period with her seven-month-old son, Ezekiel, a child she conceived using an anonymous sperm donor. Yet, this milestone comes as she faces a daunting personal battle: a diagnosis of stage four metastatic melanoma.
A Longed-For Family, Created on Her Own Terms
Emily's journey to motherhood was a conscious and deliberate choice. After considerable reflection, she decided to pursue pregnancy via IVF with donor sperm, realising she did not want to delay her dream of a family while waiting for a partner. "After a lot of reflection, I realised that choosing to do it on my own didn't mean I was giving up on having a family or meeting the right person someday," she explained. "It just meant I wasn't willing to settle."
Her pregnancy, however, was fraught with complications. At just two months, she suffered a subchorionic hematoma, a serious bleed that required hospitalisation. Simultaneously, she lost her job due to company layoffs. "The rug was completely pulled out from under me at one of the most vulnerable moments of my life," Emily recalled. Despite the turmoil, her focus remained unwavering on the wellbeing of her unborn child.
A Devastating Diagnosis and a Mother's Resolve
Ezekiel was born healthy, but joy soon turned to fear. Just weeks after his birth, around June 2025, Emily received the shocking diagnosis of stage four metastatic melanoma. "All I could think was, 'I finally have the most precious gift — my baby — and now it’s all going to end,'" she said, describing her reaction as "hysterical."
Her health struggles continued post-birth, including an emergency procedure to remove a blood clot from her uterus and a bout of endometritis. Financially, the pressure mounted as her unemployment benefits ended a week before her cancer diagnosis. A friend established a GoFundMe fundraiser, which has raised an impressive £82,000 towards its £91,000 goal, helping to cover medical and living expenses.
Finding Magic in a First Christmas
Now undergoing immunotherapy—having completed two rounds so far—Emily is determined to create a magical first Christmas for her son. "I absolutely love Christmas and I'm beyond excited to share it with my baby," she shared. "He already lights up at the lights and Christmas music. He's surrounded by so much love."
She firmly believes her son does not lack for anything by not having a father figure present. "I may not have a lot, but I have so much love and joy — and that's what I want Ezekiel to grow up knowing," Emily stated. Her perspective on life has been irrevocably altered by her illness. "I’m staring my own mortality in the face — and it’s terrifying," she admitted. "Don’t wait for anyone or anything in life. There’s never going to be a ‘right time’ — only the present."
For Emily Hausman, this Christmas is not defined by illness, but by the profound love she has for her son. In the face of immense adversity, she is choosing joy, creating cherished memories, and embodying a powerful message of resilience for her little boy and for others following her story.
