Woman who had her IVF paid for by George Michael gives birth

Lynette Gillard had struggled for 13 years to conceive before she received an anonymous donation after her appearance on Deal or No Deal

Clarisse Loughrey
Sunday 17 September 2017 11:22 BST
Comments
George Michael in 2011
George Michael in 2011

A woman who was given £9,000 for IVF treatment by the late George Michael has given birth.

Lynette Gillard, now 38, struggled for 13 years to conceive, appearing on Deal or No Deal in 2008 in the hope she could win the money needed for IVF treatment - George Michael happened to catch the episode and reached out to Channel 4 to donate the money she needed, on the condition his contribution remained anonymous.

The Sun reports that Gillard gave birth to a boy two weeks ago, named Seth Logan George Hart, the middle name acting as a tribute to the Wham! singer and his incredible contribution to her and her partner's lives.

Gillard discovered she was pregnant on Christmas Day of last year, the same day Michael passed away at the age of 53. She stated, "I hope he’s looking down smiling, knowing I have what I’ve always longed for. He believed in me and gave me hope to keep trying even when I felt it was useless."

She had gone through nine rounds of IVF thanks to the donation; although they failed, she was also able to undergo tests and treatment for a condition that was preventing her from keeping a pregnancy. Gillard fell pregnant naturally just before she was due to commence a final round of IVF.

Brit Awards 2017: Chris Martin's performs 'A Different Corner' in 'duet' with George Michael

After his death, multiple stories of Michael's incredible generosity began to emerge: he had established a trust to provide grants to disabled children and adults, for example, while also volunteering at a homeless shelter.

Follow Independent Culture on Facebook for all the latest on Film, TV, Music, and more.

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in