Home / Health / Cancer Survivor Finds Second Family Through Surrogacy
Cancer Survivor Finds Second Family Through Surrogacy
6 Sep
Summary
- Diagnosis led to unexpected surrogacy path for motherhood.
- Surrogate became family, fostering a lifelong bond.
- Families celebrate traditions together twice a year.
A breast cancer diagnosis profoundly altered Sarrah Strimel Bentley's life, presenting the unexpected challenge of potentially never carrying her own child. After undergoing IVF and freezing one embryo, the possibility of pregnancy was dashed by her illness, a blow she described as the cruelest.
This led Bentley to explore surrogacy, a path unfamiliar to her at the time. She sought a deeply personal connection, not a business transaction, and found it in Whitney. This connection allowed Bentley to learn the difficult lesson of letting go of control.
What began as a surrogacy arrangement evolved into a familial bond. Whitney carried Bentley's son, Chance, who is now two and a half years old. Chance's middle name, Whit, honors Whitney, and he calls her 'Auntie.'
Their families, one white and one Black, have forged a strong connection, meeting twice a year. They embrace their unconventional family dynamic, seeing it as a testament to 'found family' and the beautiful, miraculous nature of Chance's birth story.
