Indo-Canadian actress Lisa Ray, a cancer survivor, on Monday took to Instagram to announce the arrival of her twin daughters Sufi and Soleil, born to her husband Jason and her via surrogacy in Tbilisi, Georgia, in June.
Sharing adorable pictures of her twins on Instagram, Ray wrote about the experience of welcoming her 'miracle daughters' and the struggles they faced after opting for surrogacy.
"I wanted to share our struggles and triumph. Having been open about my cancer journey and receiving so much unconditional support, sharing this moment of happiness feels right. Hopefully, our story can give hope to others who are struggling to have kids," Ray wrote. "Life throws you both challenges and miracles, and I'm unspeakably grateful for my miracle daughters,” she added.
Elaborating about the struggles they faced, Lisa wrote, "It has been an arduous and interesting experience. Having been diagnosed with multiple myeloma (a form of blood cancer) in 2009, which requires me to be on a lifelong dose of medication, pre-empted the possibility for me to carry children myself. Fortunately, technology has progressed where there are choices and new possibilities for having children."
"My husband and I decided to pursue surrogacy. India was the obvious choice. We consulted a reputed fertility doctor, but a week before we could begin, India outlawed commercial surrogacy. We were crushed. While I understand the pressing need to regulate the industry and prevent exploitation of surrogate mothers, it was a case of literally throwing out the baby with the bath water. But, I was determined. My husband and I were advised we could continue the process in India and that there were ‘ways’. But we did not want to bring our children into the world under a cloud of uncertainty," she wrote.
Sharing how they finally managed to overcome all odds with grit and determination, Lisa wrote in her Instagram post, "We hired an agency to help, had an unsuccessful attempt in Mexico, and spent a lot of money, emotional resources and sleepless nights. But as a cancer survivor, I firmly believe in overcoming the odds. And with my husband and a few close friends’ support, we hoped for the best. Finally, we settled on Georgia, where the surrogacy process is legal, transparent, regulated and overall beneficial for both sides. We relocated to Tbilisi for a few months for the birth.”
Talking about her husband’s role in their journey, she said, “My husband and I are becoming parents in our mid-40s, which is also unconventional, but the right time for us. I love to see Jason with them, growing into his new role as a father, holding them, changing diapers, with a burp cloth I got him, which is embroidered with ‘Men Who Change Diapers, Change the World’.”
In 2009, Lisa was diagnosed with multiple myeloma, a cancer of the white blood cells known as plasma cells, which produce antibodies. A year later, she announced that she was cancer-free, after a stem cell transplant. As multiple myeloma is an incurable disease, she is not completely free of the condition.
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