Woman tries IVF to have late husband’s child

By Joylyn Bukovac

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    NASHVILLE, Tennessee (WSMV) — We’re celebrating all the moms, including the moms-to-be. Fabi Powell is doing in vitro fertilization (IVF), a type of fertility treatment where eggs are fertilized in a lab. Powell is doing IVF to have her late husband’s child.

Josh Powell passed away in December of 2016 after battling a type of cancer called synovial sarcoma. It’s a rare form of cancer that can come from different soft tissue types, such as muscle or ligaments. Josh was 27 years old when he passed.

“It was all very fast at the end,” Fabi explained.

Josh passed away about a month after the two got married. Fabi and Josh planned their wedding just two months after finding out Josh’s cancer had taken a significant toll on his body.

“I will forever be grateful that we have those memories of our wedding. It was the most special day of my life, and I know that he was the happiest I’ve ever seen him…Like in a wheelchair, in so much pain, but just showed up that night and had the biggest smile on his face,” Fabi said as she reflected on their big day.

Josh and Fabi were planning for their future well before their wedding. When they found out the cancer was terminal and spreading, the couple started having some challenging discussions.

“That’s when we started having these conversations about what will life look like if you don’t get to stay here with me,” Fabi said. “Having a family was something that we both wanted so bad.”

Before Josh started his cancer treatment, he left behind everything Fabi would need to start IVF and have his children, even after he passed away.

So far, Fabi has gone through three rounds of IVF. It’s been a year and a half of procedures, and she’s still holding onto hope.

“I’m just praying really hard that at the end of all of this it will all be worth it, and we will have a little baby Powell to celebrate,” Fabi said. “And we will have a little piece of Josh to live on forever.”

She hopes her story inspires other women going through IVF.

“My heart just goes out to anyone who has to go through this journey to conceive a child because it’s such an emotional rollercoaster, and it takes such a physical toll on your body and your emotions. And it’s financially insane the amount of money that it costs to hopefully one day carry your own child,” Fabi explained.

Fabi is preparing to start her fourth round of IVF.

“Hopefully, I could be pregnant sometime in August or September. Which September is Josh’s birthday, so maybe it’ll be a birthday gift for him which would be so cool.”

A GoFundMe has been made to help pay for Fabi’s fourth round of IVF.

You can follow Fabi’s IVF journey on Instagram @fabipowell.

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