Miracle baby born 21 years after dad struck with cancer had his sperm frozen

Cradling baby Elouise in their arms, proud parents Kelly and Wayne Kuhn have more reason than most to bless their good fortune.

For their tiny miracle was born a record-breaking 21 YEARS after her dad's sperm was frozen.

Wayne took the action after being diagnosed with testicular cancer at 21 and given just weeks to live.

He feared he'd never even live to be a father - but now that his dream has come true, he and Kelly are planning MORE kids.

"After a major op to remove tumours from my lungs, kidneys and a testicle, doctors told me I had between three weeks and three months to live," said Wayne, now 42.

"I began chemotherapy, determined to prove them wrong and insisted on freezing the sperm as I didn't want to give up on having children one day."

This was 1987 - and 16 years before he met the woman he would marry, Kelly. He paid £100 a year to place the sperm in storage in liquid nitrogen at minus 196C.

"Some of the time I did think it would be a waste of money, especially when I had not met the special someone I wanted to have children with," said Wayne, a business liaison manager.

"And when I passed the seven-year mark, I seriously considered stopping payments."

After meeting and falling in love with Kelly - "she had blonde hair right down to her bum, she was gorgeous" - Wayne confided to her that his chances of having children depended on the frozen sperm.

Before they became engaged in August 2006, they decided to have it tested. Kelly, 29, said: "I wouldn't have left Wayne if the sperm was no good. But I wanted to know what my options were for the rest of my life.

"I'm the sort of person who needs to know what's ahead."

Wayne added: "I just hoped she loved me enough to stay with me."

The couple, who live in Zadows Landing, South Australia, sobbed with relief when doctors told them the sperm was healthy.

"It was the most emotional point of the whole journey," said Kelly. "But we knew it was only half the battle.

"Wayne's semen would need to be thawed, then doctors would perform IVF and fertilise my eggs. Finally the embryo would be transferred into my womb. Then we had to pray."

Wayne and Kelly got married on April 14 last year. "We decided to start IVF almost immediately," said Kelly. "The treatment was gruelling.

I drove to Adelaide for check-ups and daily injections of fertility drugs just hoping it would all be worthwhile."

Their first attempt failed, but the second was successful. Kelly said:

"Wayne was just overwhelmed. At my first ultrasound he cried. He never believed he would be doing it."

Elouise Faith Kuhn arrived at Adelaide's Women's and Children's Hospital on June 11, weighing a healthy 7lb 13oz.

It is the longest time sperm had been frozen and resulted in a successful pregnancy. Frozen samples usually die after about seven years.

And Kelly added: "We have three frozen embryos so hopefully one of them will result in another baby when we are ready. If not, Wayne still has sperm in storage so we would just have to start the whole process again."

THE WORLD IN 1987

Kylie Minogue released her first hit, a remake of Little Eva's The Locomotion.

The year's biggest-selling single was Never Gonna Give You Up by Rick Astley.

The average UK house price was £46,000 and the average wage was £250 a week.

Michael Ryan shot 16 people dead with an assault rifle in Hungerford, Berks.

The Great Storm wreaked havoc across the south of England, killing 23.

Pop star Joss Stone and tennis star Maria Sharapova were born... and Fred Astaire died.