Sean C. Morgan
Joe and Stephanie Borello of Sweet Home have struggled to have a baby for eight years, and that struggle may end soon.
After their plans to adopt disintegrated, a family member has agreed to become a surrogate for their child.
“It’s been a long struggle,” Stephanie Borello said. They have seen fertility specialists and completed multiple procedures. They have lost five babies.
Borello recently received a diagnosis of “incompetent cervix,” and she is not a good candidate for in vitro fertilization.
“It’s going to be a struggle for me to ever carry my own child,” Borello said.
On July 3, the couple learned about a pregnant woman in Southern California who would give up her baby for adoption, Borello said. She is 18 years old with a 2-year-old daughter and a recent abortion.
“We were thankful for this opportunity,” Borello said. “I didn’t even know where to begin.”
The Borellos contacted a family friend who had experience with adoptions and talked to her about it. She helped the Borellos find an attorney and start the process.
“She sent us pictures of the ultrasound and heartbeat,” Borello said.
They were preparing to go meet the mother face to face, but the mother sent a text that she had changed her mind and would not be willing to give up the baby for adoption.
“I can’t be mad at a mother not giving up her baby,” Borello said. “It feels like a loss. I’m sad obviously, but we’re going to continue to press forward.”
Following the heartbreaking news, they started exploring surrogacy. They received a quote of about $20,000, but they learned it would be more like $30,000 and as much as $50,000. They expect it to cost less than adoption.
Both of Borello’s sisters have offered to be surrogate mothers, she said. Her sister Amber Erickson-Lovik, who has finished having children of her own, will be Borello’s “tummy mommy.”
“There’s no way to express how grateful we are,” Borello said.
While they pursued adoption, the community started donating and supporting their effort financially through a raffle and an account at Wells-Fargo Bank under the Baby Borello Adoption Fund. Myrna Kroese of Lebanon is donating all of her Scentsy commissions to the Borellos.
“So many people helped with the raffle mainly because we were adopting,” Borello said. The raffle raised $3,800, and Jenn Peck won a BPMS Warrior Carbine AR-15 at a drawing in August.
They also are seeking $20,000 through gofundme.com under the “Baby Borello Fund.” Additional information is available at “Bring Baby Borello to Sweet Home” on Facebook.