WHEN doctors told Holly Hampshire she desperately needed chemotherapy, she refused due to fears of infertility.

But when her rare form of Vasculitis – an inflammation of the blood vessels – worsened, she knew there was no other option.

Now, after undergoing the vigorous treatment, the Clayton West journalist has welcomed a baby girl.

She said: “It is amazing, I feel so lucky to have my daughter Robyn.

“My husband James and I are just completely over the moon. We were unsure if this day would ever come.

“When I was first faced with the option of having the treatment in 2009, I was given severe warnings about how it would affect my fertility.

“I was more concerned about that than anything.

“I was due to get married and always took for granted that we would just have children.

“So I said ‘No’ to the chemotherapy and began trying different treatment methods.

“None of them really worked and I continued to be very unwell.

“The doctors almost took the decision out of my hands and told me it was the only way forward.

“I had one course of eight sessions and finished just a week before my wedding.”

The 29-year-old who lives with James in Clayton West, suffers from Wegener’s Granulomatosis – an incurable disease in which blood vessels become inflamed, making it hard for blood to flow.

She had been suffering from “flu-like” symptoms and loss of consciousness when James insisted she went to A&E.

She was diagnosed at just 26 after doctors discovered her lungs were “littered with tumours.”

The broadcast journalist said it has been a challenge learning about her limitations and getting to grips with a disease which causes her severe fatigue.

She said: “I went from being really active and busy to having to be really careful.

“If I wanted to go out to a restaurant with my family, I would have to rest the entire day leading up to it and the entire day afterwards.

“It is tough the lack of sleep, with a newborn baby but I have such wonderful support from my family and friends.

“It is the same tiredness every new mum has, just on a higher level.

“My life has changed but I want people to know that if you get the right treatment for Vasculitis you can still do so much.

“I just have to learn to adapt and change and I just feel extremely lucky to have had a little baby.”

Proud grandma Annabelle Emery – who lives in the South of France – has been offering her support following the birth of little Robyn on May 3 at Barnsley Hospital.

Robyn was born naturally and was a healthy 7lbs 11oz.

Holly’s happy news follows the release of a new Route Map by Vasculitis UK.

Created with support from doctors in the Department of Renal Immunobiology at the University ofBirmingham, it is a 112-page encyclopaedia with information on each type of Vasculitis.

For more information visit www.vasculitis-uk.org.uk .

FACTFILE

Wegener's Granulomatosis mainly affects blood vessels in the nose, sinuses, ears, lungs, and kidneys, although other areas may be involved.

It is thought to be an autoimmune disorder.

WG is most common in middle-aged adults. It is rare in children, but has been seen in infants as young as 3 months old.

Fatigue is believed to be the most common symptom alongside frequent sinusitis.

Other symptoms include night sweats, chronic ear infections, nose bleeds, pain, and sores around the opening of the nose, loss of appetite and weight loss.

Skin changes are also common, but there is no one typical lesion associated with the disease.