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Images: Surrogate Grandmother

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Emily Jordan, left, examines the pregnant belly of her mother Cindy Reutzel on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012 in Naperville. After Jordan underwent a radical hysterectomy, she and her husband took up an offer from Reutzel to act as a surrogate for their child.

Associated Press

Emily Jordan, right, chats with her pregnant mother Cindy Reutzel on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012 in Naperville. After Jordan underwent a radical hysterectomy, she and her husband took up an offer from Reutzel to act as their surrogate.

Associated Press

Emily Jordan, left, and her pregnant mother Cindy Reutzel relax at Jordan's home on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012 in Naperville. After Jordan underwent a radical hysterectomy, she and her husband took up an offer from Reutzel to act as their surrogate.

Associated Press

Emily Jordan, right, examines the pregnant belly of her mother Cindy Reutzel on Sunday, Aug. 19, 2012 in Naperville. After Jordan underwent a radical hysterectomy, she and her husband took up an offer from Reutzel to act as their surrogate.

Associated Press

Gallery Image

Mike Jordan, left, and Emily Jordan hold their six-day-old daughter Elle Cynthia Jordan on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012 in Naperville. After Emily Jordan underwent a radical hysterectomy, she and her husband accepted an offer from her mother Cindy Reutzel to act as a surrogate for their child.

Associated Press

Six-day-old Elle Cynthia Jordan is held by her grandmother Cindy Reutzel on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012 in Naperville. Reutzel gave birth to her granddaughter on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012 after acting as a surrogate for her daughter Emily Jordan who had undergone a radical hysterectomy.

Associated Press

Cindy Reutzel holds her granddaughter Elle Cynthia Jordan on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012 in Naperville. Reutzel gave birth to her granddaughter on Thursday, Aug. 30, 2012 after acting as a surrogate for her own daughter Emily Jordan, who had undergone a radical hysterectomy.

Associated Press

Emily Jordan, left, feeds her six-day old daughter Elle Cynthia Jordan on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012 in Naperville. After Jordan underwent a radical hysterectomy, she and her husband took up an offer from her mother Cindy Reutzel to act as a surrogate for their child.

Associated Press

Six-day-old Elle Cynthia Jordan is held by her mother Emily Jordan and grandmother Cindy Reutzel on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012 in Naperville. After Jordan underwent a radical hysterectomy, she and her husband accepted an offer from Reutzel to act as a surrogate for their child.

Associated Press

Mike Jordan, left, watches his wife Emily Jordan hold their six-day-old daughter Elle Cynthia Jordan on Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012 in Naperville. After Emily Jordan underwent a radical hysterectomy, she and her husband took up an offer from her mother Cindy Reutzel to act as a surrogate for their child.

Associated Press

Gallery posted: 9/7/2012 4:22 PM

About this Gallery

Setting foot in a hospital again, Emily and Mike Jordan of Naperville couldn't help but feel anxious. More than two years before, at age 29, Emily had been diagnosed with cervical cancer. But just before she was to undergo a radical hysterectomy, she was told that she was pregnant. Faced with saving her own life or their unborn child's, the young couple made the excruciating decision to go forward with her surgery.