MKR couple's exciting personal news: 'Quite the journey'

MKR couple Carly Saunders and Tresne Middleton have announced they're expecting a baby boy, a year after their daughter Poppy Grace died from leukemia.

The couple appeared on the 2014 series of My Kitchen Rules, and opened up about their IVF struggles when it came to conceiving.

In an Instagram post on their joint account, the pair announced their happy news, saying their baby boy is due in August.

"We have some exciting news! Poppy Grace is going to be a big sister!" the post read.

"We’ve been battling with the right time to share this news, as we always want to be sensitive to those who have been going through their own challenges with cancer and fertility treatment. But this bump is getting too big to hide! Our baby boy is due the day before my birthday- August 24th."

'Quite the journey': MKR couple's miracle baby after heartbreaking loss

The caption went on to detail the battles the couple went through, both receiving IVF while dealing with the grief over the loss of their daughter as well as having a miscarriage in June last year.

"It has been quite the journey, with Tresne and I both going through IVF and grief together. Tresne underwent 6 rounds of IVF treatment between this year and last, plus a platelet-rich plasma treatment directly into her ovaries and a brief trip to Mexico for a new fertility treatment just last month. Her egg collection journey continues," the caption stated.

"After the miscarriage in June last year, I underwent a second round of IVF. Between us we’ve managed to undergo 9 general anaesthetics in the past 6 months. We both struggle with visiting the hospital due to the difficult memories of our 17 months living in hospital with Poppy Grace."

The couple said they were eagerly awaiting the arrival of their baby boy, and assured their fans they're looking after their grief and mental health through regular counselling.

"This darling little boy is something very positive for us to look forward to. Thank you to the people who have continued to be in our corner, checking in regularly. We want to assure you all that we are eating well, exercising, and looking after our grief with regular counselling, neurofeedback, journaling and EMDR therapy. We want to give this sweet little boy the best possible chance, and we know that our beautiful Poppy will be excitedly looking down on us with happiness dancing in her heart."

The couple's daughter Poppy Grace sadly passed away in February 2023, at 20 months of age, after a battle with cancer.

The couple had been through an eight-year IVF journey prior to having Poppy Grace and were devastated to learn the tiny tot had infantile acute lymphoblastic leukaemia, a cancer of the blood and bone marrow, a disease she was diagnosed with at just 11 weeks of age.

“We’d been trying since 2012 to have a baby and then she was our little miracle," Carly said in a 2023 interview. “You just wouldn’t wish it on anyone."

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