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Lehigh County mother donates uterus to complete stranger

Published  June 10, 2019 12:32pm EDT
Lehigh County
FOX 29 Philadelphia

Local woman talks about her decision to donate her uterus

After having three children of her own, Heather Bankos, donated her uterus this past May.

PHILADELPHIA - Heather Bankos, a 31-year-old wife and mother from Lehigh County, has donated her uterus to a complete stranger. The mother of three children says it was an easy decision and one she would do all over again.

Heather, also a transport and neonatal intensive care nurse at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, can count herself among the less than 100 women around the world to donate her uterus so another woman who was unable to carry a child, now has a chance. 

Having first considered surrogacyHeather read an article about the uterus transplant clinical trials at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. 

About a year later and weeks of traveling back and forth to Dallas for medical and psychological tests , she received a call that she was selected. 

In May, Heather underwent successful surgery that was done robotically. 

And while the recipient remains anonymous at this time, she is hopeful they will one day get to meet