'Lotto baby' born after mum pays for IVF with jackpot winnings starts school

A ‘Lotto baby’ who was born after her NHS nurse mum paid for IVF treatment with her jackpot winnings has started school.

Rebecca Brown, 44, pocketed a life-changing £250,000 when her Mirror-reading family syndicate won a £1million jackpot in August 2016. But she was left devastated two years later when doctors found pre-cancerous cells of the cervix during a routine scan. Rebecca was told if she wanted children she should have them “sooner rather than later” amid hysterectomy fears.

So she decided to spend £12,000 of her National Lottery winnings on IVF treatment - and fell pregnant after two rounds. The orthopaedic nurse, from Eastwood, Notts, eventually gave birth to “priceless” daughter Ethel after using a sperm donor. Ethel was born in January 2020, just weeks before the UK was plunged into a nationwide Covid-19 lockdown.

She was hardly able to leave the house as the pandemic swept the country - but has now started school. Rebecca said “Ethel started reception and as with all mums, that has needed another bit of an adjustment on my part. There were lots of tears. After the win I reduced my hours and now work just two days a week.

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“I have no mortgage and so the financial pressures are less. Having that peace, that control, is just amazing. But it’s the ability to spend time with her that makes everything so special. I am with her at the beginning of the day and when she comes home. She knows if she needs me while at school, I will be there for her.”

Rebecca has raised Ethel with the help of her dad David, 68, mum Yvonne, 67, and sister Julie, 41 - the other three syndicate members. Granddad David said, “We all idolise Ethel. She is the centre of our universe and so for all of us, the win now means much, much more.” Rebecca added: “Some people think winning the National Lottery means fast cars or big houses.

“But the win‘s gift to me is that it has helped make a little person, who I love to spend all my time with. Our win wasn’t just life-changing, it was life giving. The win is extra special for me because of her. Without question, she is the best thing I spent my winnings on. It made having IVF easier. Winning made it all possible as I could pay for the treatment without having to rely on anyone else. And it really has made my dream of having a baby come true. Giving birth was the biggest and best day of my life.”

Just a few weeks after Ethel arrived, Rebecca moved in with her parents as the country went into Covid-19 lockdown. “It was strange,” she said. “I initially struggled with the fact that all my plans of enjoying those first few months disappeared. But having said all of that, lockdown created an amazing bond between us all. The win has helped us buy quality time with a family who idolise her.

“I love to cook and bake with Ethel, draw, read, go to the park - just normal stuff. My mum, dad and sister enjoy doing the same too. Dad has even learnt how to climb through tunnels at soft play which isn’t bad at his age. Ethel is grounded and certainly not spoilt. She is mischievous, naughty, spirited, kind, caring, sometimes bends the rules and she is perfect.”

The family still do the National Lottery every week using the same numbers. David bought an Aston Martin with some of his winnings and kept it for just six months so he could always say he had owned “his dream motor”. The family also bought a holiday home and even invested in a four-seater Surrey bike so they could ride around together.