Maggie Paxton, 32, learned she had breast cancer two years ago.
"I was 30 when I was diagnosed, and that's very young. And so if I can share my story and help somebody, then that's maybe why I was put through this in my life in the first place," she told KTLA.
But for Paxton, the news that she would be unable to carry a child without putting her own life at risk was worse than the diagnosis.
"That was more devastating to me," Paxton told KTLA. "I feel like I'm put on this planet to be a mom."
Initially, Paxton and her husband, Danny, discussed adoption before realizing surrogacy was an option; they successfully created several embryos before Paxton started chemotherapy.
Paxton's sister, 33-year-old Morgan Williams, said she wanted to be the couple's surrogate.
"I wanted it to be me, selfishly," Williams told KTLA. "As an older sister, I want to protect her, but I can't protect her from cancer. So I kind of just stepped up and was like, 'OK, if this is what I can do, then I will do it.'"
Last week, Williams gave birth to twin girls. Paxton is also now cancer-free. She and Williams have discussed possibly doing this again, they told KTLA.
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