Miracle man fathers baby girl despite undergoing 54 rounds of chemotherapy for brain tumour Ben Lindon, 34, told treatment would leave him infertile But fiancée Kate, 30, miraculously gave birth to Martha, now aged nine months Ben, from Malvern, Worcs., was struck down with the disease aged 29 He is believed to be youngest person in UK to have had so much chemo The former journalist still faces a battle to live but is determined to see daughter grow up By Alison Smith Squire A man who has had 54 cycles of chemotherapy for an inoperable brain tumour has defied doctors by naturally fathering a miracle baby girl. Ben Lindon, 34, was told the chemotherapy and radiotherapy treatment to save his life would leave him infertile. But two years ago Ben met fiancée Kate McCreanor, 30, and, against all the odds, the couple are now proud parents to Martha, nine months. Miracle: Ben Lindon, 34, was told the chemotherapy to treat his inoperable brain tumour would leave him infertile but he defied doctors by fathering Martha, aged nine months, by wife Kate Joy: Ben, Kate and Martha relax together, left, while the proud father takes his daughter on a trip to the beach Ben, who doctors believe is the youngest person in the UK to have had so many rounds of chemotherapy, said: "Having such a beautiful baby daughter is just a dream come true. When Kate told me she was pregnant I thought she must be mistaken. And when Martha was born it was the happiest day of my life. Now I am just overjoyed and loving every moment of being a dad. Ben's nightmare began on March 2008 just before his 29th birthday. The former journalist was out running when his left arm suddenly went numb. I obviously collapsed and blacked out because the next thing I remember is being picked up off the road and rushed to hospital. There, doctors told Ben he'd suffered a seizure, but that as he was fit, it was probably due to low blood sugar. However, further scans and tests revealed the worse news possible when he was diagnosed with a Grade 2 glioblastoma multiforme brain tumour. Adorable: Martha stares longingly into the eyes of her father, who was struck down with his illness aged just 29 Daddy's girl: Martha's birth was a miracle as doctors told Ben he would never have a child, which left him devastated and fearful he would never find love A type of brain cancer, it affects two to three people per 100,000 in the United States and Europe. Doctors don't know what causes it - but because the tumour was so close to the central part of Ben's brain, operating on it carried such a high risk of death that surgery was impossible. "It was a terrible shock," he recalled, "especially when doctors said they couldn't even operate. My only hope of survival, of stopping it growing more or spreading, was to have urgent radiotherapy and chemotherapy. A side effect of the treatment was that it would leave me infertile - but doctors said there wasn't time to freeze sperm. Meanwhile I would need to take anti-seizure drugs to prevent fits for the rest of my life. After the first bouts of radiotherapy and chemotherapy, Ben felt so upset about not being able to have children, he visited a fertility specialist and had a sample of sperm frozen. But by then he believed having already had so much treatment, it was too late. He admits he felt his life was over. One day I'd been a fit young man who lived day to day to being someone who suddenly had no idea what the future would hold. My future seemed bleak. Being told because of the treatment, I could never father a child was terrible - at my lowest point, I worried would any woman want me? However, within months he had decided to use the experience to reappraise his life. "I began running more to get myself into really good physical shape," he says, "at the same time I decided to give up my desk job as a journalist and retrain as a tree surgeon. Grueling: Ben prepares for another bout of chemotherapy. He has 54 treatments and is thought to be the youngest person in Britain to have had so many Being out in the fresh air was incredibly therapeutic. Then in April 2011 at a party he was introduced to Kate. She recalls: "Ben was a friend of a friend and I knew he'd been unwell but that was all. However as soon as we started chatting, we hit it off. Over the next few days the pair rang and spoke on Facebook. A few days later they met up again and within weeks they were a couple. Painful: Ben had a biopsy in order to diagnose his tumour, which left him with an enormous scar "I knew very early on I'd met my soulmate," says Kate, "and when about a month into our relationship Ben explained to me about his brain tumour and that he couldn't have kids, it didn't bother me." Ben said: "I was really worried what Kate would think so I was incredibly relieved when she said it made no difference to our relationship." Three months later Ben moved in with Kate in Malvern, Worcestershire. But within five months she suspected she was pregnant. "For other health reasons I was also on the pill so at first it seemed a ridiculous thought," she says, "but I got a pregnancy test to check. I was stunned when it was positive. Ben was equally shocked - and then thrilled. However, the couple's initial joy was shortlived when at five weeks, Kate started to bleed. "Doctors said it could be a miscarriage and I went for a scan," she says, "but it was too early to be able to see properly so I had to come back for another scan ten days later. It was the most agonising wait for both of us so when we finally saw that little heartbeat on the screen, we were incredibly relieved. The couple were then worried all the drugs Ben has taken - including the maximum dose of radiotherapy and over 54 rounds of chemotherapy - might have affected his sperm and the baby in some way. Kate said: "The chemo is very strong and often Ben feels sick and tired taking it." However, following their threatened miscarriage, Kate's pregnancy was straightforward and in September last year (2012), she gave birth to Martha who weighed a healthy 6Ib 15oz. The couple are now set to wed. "I proposed to Kate on a beach in Cornwall earlier this year and luckily she said yes," says Ben. He admits being diagnosed with a brain tumour has changed his outlook on life. It's taught me not to take anything for granted and I truly do appreciate every day. Little miracle: Kate had a miscarriage scare before Martha was born weighing 6lbs 15oz But he's determined to see Martha grow up: "Brain tumours are unpredictable. While some people live a normal life with a brain tumour for very many years, no-one knows what the future holds. But having Martha has given me another reason to keep well and stay alive. And actually, despite everything, I feel lucky. I have a very fulfilling life, a wonderful fiance and amazingly, I'm a proud dad with a gorgeous little girl. Since being diagnosed with a brain tumour, Ben has competed in the Brighton Marathon, clocking up a time of 41/2 hours. He is now raising money for the charity, Brain Tumour Research, by competing in the Three Peaks Challenge - tackling the highest mountains in England Scotland and Wales over September 27-29. To Sponsor Ben at www.justgiving.com/Ben-Lindon