Shannon Maya Lamb, 31, was diagnosed with ovarian cancer while pregnant with her first child and told chemotherapy would leave her infertile. She has now given birth to her second 'miracle' baby.
Shannon was diagnosed with aggressive ovarian cancer in October 2020 after spotting a lump on her pelvis while lying in the bath. She had invasive surgery to remove the tumour and discovered she was pregnant with her first child in March 2022. The news came weeks after learning her ovarian cancer had already spread to her lung, requiring surgery to remove a portion of it.
A CT scan at 31 weeks pregnant revealed further disease in a 4cm lymph node beside her lung. She needed emergency chemotherapy and an emergency caesarean section to deliver her premature son, Hunter, who is now three.
Chemotherapy and Stem Cell Transplants
What followed were 11 further rounds of aggressive chemotherapy and two stem cell transplants. In October 2024, she was confirmed to be in remission, but due to the life-saving cancer treatments, she was told she could not fall pregnant again.
Biomedical science student Shannon, from Dundee, who spoke to Talk to the Press, said: "I remember first noticing this lump on the side of my pelvis, and my hair began to thin. I first questioned if it was a hernia but it ended up causing the worst pain I'd ever felt. It was aggressive cancer and I had surgery all alone because of Covid."
She added: "I had surgery at 16 weeks pregnant, but the cancer had already spread. I had Hunter at 31 weeks and went down to the chemo unit four days later. I needed to stay alive for my son, I'd have given up without him."
Unexpected Pregnancy
In November 2025, she got sore breasts and a period and discovered she had fallen pregnant again. Single mum Shannon, who is now over two years cancer free, was delighted to learn she was expecting a healthy baby girl, who was born last month.
Shannon said: "I was told I would be infertile after the stem cell transplants - I just had to accept it. So it's a miracle I'm here, my son is here, and I have my miracle baby daughter too."
She was first diagnosed with germ cell ovarian cancer after spotting a lump on her abdomen, which grew within a matter of weeks. She was referred to gynaecology and it was confirmed to be a 14cm by 13cm cancerous tumour on her left ovary. On December 22, she underwent surgery at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary to remove the infected ovary and surrounding affected areas.
Miracle Baby Zayla
Shannon was warned before the chemotherapy and stem cell transplants that eradicating the cancer would cost her her fertility. She said: "Especially with one ovary, I was told the chance of recovering ovary function was pretty much nil. I was deemed infertile and menopausal, and prescribed hormone replacement therapy (HRT)."
In July 2025, she began questioning her fertility as she was still having period-like bleeds. She requested blood checks, which confirmed she was post-menopausal, and two pregnancy tests came back negative. She decided to do a digital test anyway, and it said 'pregnant'.
Miracle baby Zayla was born via c-section on July 22. Shannon had some complications and was hospitalised after her bowel became obstructed in the weeks leading up to the birth, and Zayla suffered with three bouts of jaundice shortly after birth. Now the family are all happy, healthy and safe at home.
Shannon said: "During treatment, I was on death's door. I would never have imagined now I'd have a healthy little boy and a little girl. I'm meant to be infertile! My friend joked I must just have a really strong ovary. I'm being monitored but as far as we are aware, I'm still completely cancer free."
She added: "The whole thing has been miraculous - unbelievable and a blessing. I'm grateful to have been given a second chance at life, and my little girl is a miracle. I look at her and I'm so in love, I can't find the words to describe it. I'm so blessed to have both my daughter and my son. I'm so, so lucky. I hope my story might give others hope - when there doesn't seem like there can be a happy ending, there might still be one anyway."
