A Port Coquitlam, B.C., couple is hoping to battle their eight-year-old son's leukemia by having a so-called saviour baby, even though they admit their chances of success are slim.

"There are such things as miracles, so we are going to hope for that," Pam Obadia told CBC Monday morning.

Pam and Michael Obadia hope to have another child to provide stem cells for their eight-year-old son's leukemia treatment.
(CBC)

Pam and her husband Michael Obadia, both 47, are trying to have another child so they can use stem cells from the umbilical cord blood to help their son Ben beat leukemia.

The process is called pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and involves pre-screening embryos before the in vitro fertilization procedure to find one that matches their son's tissue type.

If the process is successful and Pam Obadia gives birth, the umbilical cord blood can then be infused into the bone marrow of Ben as a powerful anti-cancer treatment.

But Pam Obadia said local fertility clinics have refused to do the procedure, even though parts of it were developed in Canada, because of one factor — her age.
 
"I'm 47, and the fertility clinics in Vancouver can't justify going through the procedure knowing that my chances are nil … for this procedure working," she said.

"They pointed to the stats. They don't even perform in vitro on women who are past the age of 45, let alone for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis on a woman who is 47 years old," she said.

But the couple is undeterred.

"The technology is there. To us, we need to use it to save our son," said Michael Obadia.

Heading to Chicago

So they are heading to a Chicago clinic for the procedure and are planning to pay the entire $25,000 cost themselves, since the B.C. Health Plan will not pay any of their expenses.

Michael Obadia said he understands that some people might find the procedure controversial because they will be choosing an embryo that will be a match for their son. But for the couple the choice is clear.

"There are a few ethical questions, but when you are trying to save another child, to us anyway, there is not a question," said Michael Obadia.

Ben first developed leukemia when he was three. After three years of treatment the disease went into remission, but returned six months later.

For the past two years he's been receiving chemotherapy every two weeks.

The couple also has a six-year-old daughter, and said they have only hinted to the children that they may be having another child.