Five Sisters Question If They Share the Same Father | DNA Family Secrets

Hinzugefügt: 2026-05-30

[00:00:02]Many of us have questions about who we really are.

[00:00:06]>> Sometimes a lady just thinking, "Where have I come from?

[00:00:10]>> I'm desperate to know >> and what our future holds.

[00:00:15]>> I don't look like anybody in my family."

[00:00:18]>> Now, amazing advances in DNA technology mean those questions [music] can be answered for the very first time. You were in a concentration camp when you were a [music] kid.

[00:00:30]>> From 9 months old.

[00:00:32]>> From our families.

[00:00:34]>> I didn't think that my parents were secretive >> to our ancestry.

[00:00:39]>> Cuz my whole life I've not known where am I from >> to our health.

[00:00:44]>> It's really crazy for a blood test to decide [music] my future.

[00:00:51]>> Working with leading geneticists, genealogologists, and doctors, [music] >> we have the results.

[00:00:57]We're going to help people unlock life-changing secrets.

[00:01:00]>> Wow. If >> my dad is capable of doing this stuff, does that mean I am? Through the power of a DNA test.

[00:01:08]>> This is going to [music] be the hardest case I have ever been involved in.

[00:01:13]>> Our DNA doesn't lie.

[00:01:15]>> Oh my goodness.

[00:01:17]>> It was really [music] clear.

[00:01:19]>> Really?

[00:01:20]>> Are we ready for the truth?

[00:01:22]>> Oh my god. [music] >> [music] [music] >> In the last 40 years, over half a million [music] children have lived in foster care in the UK.

[00:01:48]Five [music] sisters, Charmaine, Jackie, Lynn, Janice, [music] and Julia, were separated as kids, [music] but reunited in their 20s.

[00:02:03]They're now all desperate to know [music] if they share the same father.

[00:02:11][music] How are you?

[00:02:24]>> Thank you.

[00:02:24]>> Can I just say you look so glamorous?

[00:02:27][laughter] >> We started getting ready last night.

[00:02:32]>> 11 p.m.

[00:02:35]days. [laughter] >> So, is this your place?

[00:02:38]>> Yes, it is. Yeah. So, that's why I'm still in the black.

[00:02:40]>> NO, YOU LOOK GREAT. YOU LOOK GREAT.

[00:02:42][laughter] >> So nice to meet you. Thank you ever so much for having me. Cheers.

[00:02:47]>> Cheers.

[00:02:47]>> Cheers.

[00:02:48]>> Cheers. Ignore that. Yeah. There you go.

[00:02:54]>> So, just so I'm clear, you all share the same mom.

[00:02:58]>> Yes.

[00:02:59]>> The question here is, do we all share or do any of us share the same father?

[00:03:04]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:03:05]>> Who's the oldest?

[00:03:07]>> Me.

[00:03:07]>> So, you're the oldest, Julia. Then Charma, then Jackie, >> then is the baby.

[00:03:15]>> How often do you tend to get together, all of you?

[00:03:18]>> As often as we can. I think even though we've not been um brought up together.

[00:03:25]We've got a same sense of humor, >> right?

[00:03:27]>> You know, wicked sense of humor and we're biggest flirts going with >> Oh, good for you.

[00:03:33]>> We're like proper flirt.

[00:03:36]So you were adopted, >> you were adopted, two separate families.

[00:03:44]>> Where were you three?

[00:03:45]>> We were brought up in care um from the early ages from about two. Janice and I were locked together, weren't we in the same care home?

[00:03:53]>> Cuz I didn't know about Charmaine.

[00:03:56]>> Why didn't they try and keep you all together?

[00:03:59]>> I mean, remarkable really how you found each other. So, you met in the 80s. Tell me how that feels. I mean, lots of people won't be able to >> truly understand how it feels when you meet your sisters for the first time.

[00:04:13]>> It's strange.

[00:04:14]>> It [music] was so exciting. I mean, we were like kids in a coffee shop. The minute we met, I felt [music] I belonged.

[00:04:26]>> Yeah. Even though we've had that time apart, >> it's we still got a [music] bond. It's strange.

[00:04:34]>> We're sisters.

[00:04:35]>> What a treat that you've you've got your gang now.

[00:04:38]>> Yeah.

[00:04:39]>> And we've still, [music] you know, we still all got the same mom.

[00:04:43]And if you'd have met her, she was like us. We've all got her personality.

[00:04:50][music] >> She was very, very beautiful woman.

[00:04:55]She was like a model.

[00:04:58]She'd put her makeup on every day. She wouldn't go out the house without makeup on.

[00:05:03]>> [music] >> In the 60s it was all peace man and free love.

[00:05:18]You did what you wanted to do.

[00:05:23]My mom married us from the age of 16 to 26.

[00:05:28]She was a kid herself and the men in her life just let her get on with it and left her.

[00:05:39]Unmarried and struggling without any support.

[00:05:42]The girl's mom, Anne, [music] made some difficult decisions.

[00:05:47]She was pressured to put oldest sister Julia and second youngest Lynn up for adoption.

[00:05:55]And although their mom tried to hold on to [music] second oldest Charmaine, middle sister Jackie, and youngest Janice, [music] they were soon placed into foster homes, separated at an early age.

[00:06:11]It [music] was only in their 20s when Lynn accessed her birth records and she discovered [music] she had sisters that all five of them were reunited.

[00:06:22]something [music] their mom didn't live to witness.

[00:06:28]>> Oh my word. You're like her.

[00:06:31]>> Oh my word.

[00:06:33]>> She was a beautiful woman.

[00:06:35]>> She had it tough. Very tough. She had a lot of mental health issues as well that weren't recognized in those days.

[00:06:45]>> How did your mother die?

[00:06:47]>> She committed suicide eventually.

[00:06:52]I wish she could have hung on cuz I think she'd be so proud of us all now.

[00:06:58]>> You know, we've all turned out into lovely girls.

[00:07:00]>> Answer some questions.

[00:07:01]>> Well, yeah, she could have answered our questions as well, couldn't she?

[00:07:05]>> Well, what are those questions? What What do you want to know?

[00:07:09]>> Who's our dad?

[00:07:10]>> Who's Yeah.

[00:07:10]>> Yeah. Well, yeah. Who's my dad?

[00:07:14]>> My mom. When she died, she took it with her to the grave. None of us know who our father is. We've never had that chance to ask her because we was all too young.

[00:07:24]>> So, do any of you believe that you share the same biological father?

[00:07:30]>> I think we do. I think we do.

[00:07:32]>> Yeah.

[00:07:33]>> So, you two think you share the same father?

[00:07:35]>> Yeah.

[00:07:36]>> Who do you think your father was? And do you think your any of your sisters are your full siblings? [music] >> I don't know. I'm on the fence thinking, am I am I not? Everybody should know who your parents are.

[00:07:52]>> I can't tell my kids their [music] history because I don't know my history.

[00:07:58]>> The main question is are we full [music] siblings or half siblings?

[00:08:02]>> And that would give us some answer to something.

[00:08:14]Professor [music] [music] Chi King is one of the UK's leading geneticists.

[00:08:37]Supported by [music] a team of genealogologists, social workers, and counselors, the sisters are hoping that by analyzing [music] their DNA, Churi may be able to tell them if they are full or half siblings.

[00:08:53]>> Hello. Come on in. Come sit down.

[00:08:57]>> Nice to meet you.

[00:08:58]>> Hello.

[00:08:59]>> Hi.

[00:09:01]>> Oh, wow.

[00:09:03]Okay. So, five sisters.

[00:09:07]>> Yeah.

[00:09:08]>> God, this is the quietest we've been for a long time.

[00:09:11]>> I know.

[00:09:11]>> So, well, I think we're all nervous.

[00:09:14]>> We are. Don't be. [laughter] >> Who's the oldest? Give me birth order.

[00:09:18]You're the oldest. Who's next?

[00:09:21]>> You, Charmaine.

[00:09:22]>> Me. Hi, Jackie.

[00:09:24]>> Hi.

[00:09:25]>> Baby. The baby.

[00:09:26]>> Baby J. Oh, baby. [laughter] Janice.

[00:09:28]>> 53. A baby.

[00:09:30]>> Yeah. The baby. How can I help you?

[00:09:33]>> Well, I think we the main question is we just want to find out if we're full or half siblings.

[00:09:38]>> It's just nice to be thinking, well, yeah, well, we have got the same dad and my mom wasn't as bad [laughter] as she she thought she was, >> you know. Um, no, it's just it's just answers. I think just knowing instead of >> laughing about it, wondering it will just be >> that big answer. So, in terms of working out whether or not you guys are full sisters or half sisters, basically DNA is the only way you're going to be able to sort this out.

[00:10:06]>> The key comes from looking at your birth father's side of your DNA. Let me just do a picture as to what we're going to be looking for. So, what happens is you share half of your DNA with each of your parents. So each time one of you is is born, it's like your parents have taken their deck of cards, they've shuffled it, they've given you half each, and every time one of you is born, they do the same thing again. So on average, you are going to share about half of your DNA in common if you are full sisters.

[00:10:45]>> That's what we're looking for, right?

[00:10:48]>> Okay. So obviously it would be great if we can identify exactly who your father or fathers are >> but obviously that may not be possible to do.

[00:11:01]>> Yeah.

[00:11:01]>> So what we'll have to do is we'll have to do this on a casebyase >> basis whatever comes up and we'll talk you through.

[00:11:09]>> Yeah. It's a question at a time and the question the main one is the siblings or half siblings.

[00:11:16]>> Okay. So, what I need from you all is your DNA. [music] >> The sister samples will now be compared to see if they share half of their DNA with each other and might be full siblings with the same father. I'm holding my life in my hand, you [laughter] >> jury will also add them to the worldwide DNA [music] databases of over 30 million people to see whether they can uncover any clues about their father's identity.

[00:11:55]>> [music] >> In the past 50 years, thousands of men in the UK have donated [music] sperm.

[00:12:04]53-year-old Luke was a donor as a young man, helping couples [music] to start families.

[00:12:10]He now wants to come forward and discover if he may [music] have any biological sons or daughters looking for their donor father.

[00:12:27]Hello, mate. Hi, Lou.

[00:12:31][music] >> Can we shake? We can shake now.

[00:12:33]>> We can shake. We just can't snog.

[00:12:35]>> No kissing in the park.

[00:12:39]>> Um, so lovely to meet you. Yeah.

[00:12:41]>> Thank you so much for your time. Uh Luke, why don't we start off by establishing why we're here?

[00:12:50]>> 30 years ago, I was a sperm donor.

[00:12:54]>> For about four years, I donated sperm.

[00:12:56]And recently, well, I suppose life events. It gave me a bit of time to think and I thought I'd try and find out if anything had happened because when I first started donating, it was totally anonymous and they there's no way of even tracing it. Apart from possibly DNA and >> that's why we're here.

[00:13:16]>> Yeah. [laughter] >> How old were you when you first gave sperm?

[00:13:20]>> 19.

[00:13:22]>> I did it in Birmingham first.

[00:13:28]>> I went to [music] university to study music, drama, and dance.

[00:13:36]I was a typical drama student.

[00:13:41]And by then I think I had an inkling I was probably gay.

[00:13:48]For the first 6 months they're all leg warmers. [laughter] We all thought we were kids from fame in the 80s.

[00:13:56]Originally when I started donating sperm we used to get paid £7 at the beginning.

[00:14:01]We do that twice a week. That's a couple of nights at the pub for me with no inclination to have a family of my own. No downside at all.

[00:14:15]I think around mid8s was the peak of the AIDS fear.

[00:14:21]There was a lot of stigma [music] around HIV.

[00:14:25]So, as part of sperm doning, you got a free HIV screening. It didn't go on your medical record. It was anonymous and it was also for peace of mind.

[00:14:38]I think I was about 23 when I stopped.

[00:14:41]Really?

[00:14:42]>> First thing?

[00:14:42]>> Yeah, it is a first thing.

[00:14:44]>> Every week.

[00:14:45]>> Every twice a week.

[00:14:46]>> Twice a week.

[00:14:46]>> Twice a week. Yeah.

[00:14:48]>> But it could be that there are lots and lots of people that have been conceived by your sperm out there. If we're talking like in the numbers up, it starts to become a bit of a horrifying thought because it's like >> I'm just sitting twice a week wait for four [laughter] years.

[00:15:04]>> Yeah. Doing the maths, I'm starting to go, well, yeah, could be a lot.

[00:15:10]>> We're here now.

[00:15:11]>> Yeah.

[00:15:11]>> Why?

[00:15:13]>> Because I'd spoken to a lot of people who never found out who their real parents or their biological parents were or whatever. And and it always troubled them. And I just thought, well, there's people out there that would probably just like to know if I can give them that. And if I could give them that before anything happens to me, cuz I was made very aware that something [music] could happen to me. I got a little bit of a hint of mortality in a way. [music] My my best friend died just before Christmas and it was yeah, totally out of [music] the blue. It it flawed me completely and um it did make me go well I might not be here forever. Some anything could happen.

[00:15:59]>> Yeah. But it got me thinking about >> Yeah, that makes sense.

[00:16:03]>> Yeah. And uh just Yeah. Doing the right thing.

[00:16:10]>> So it feels like you've given this sort of real thought, serious thought.

[00:16:15]you're here. If they've got if we were to [music] find, you know, any other feels weird saying children, >> they don't they wouldn't be children anymore, would they? No, like young adults. Adults.

[00:16:26]>> If they had any questions, you'd be more than happy to >> I mean, I I'd answer any questions I could.

[00:16:32]>> I mean, if they do look me up in the [music] internet, they they they'd have a surprise probably. [laughter] >> What would they find?

[00:16:39]>> I'm a cabaret performer, you see. Yes.

[00:16:41]So, it's how will they take that?

[00:16:44]>> [music] [music] >> As a cabaret performer, I'm not perhaps the normal biological father.

[00:17:03][music] Who whoever's your dad is the one who brings you up.

[00:17:08]I'm not aiming to become a sudden father at 53.

[00:17:14]I can't. It's too late.

[00:17:21]Best case scenario is that they're very happy with their family, [music] but they just sort of want an extra little connection.

[00:17:29]An Uncle Luke [music] >> [music] >> To find out whether there is anyone out there looking for him, Luke has come to meet Churi at the University of Leicester.

[00:18:04]His DNA [music] will be used to see if he has any matches on the databases.

[00:18:11]Come on in. Sit down.

[00:18:14]>> Hi.

[00:18:14]>> Hello. It's nice to meet you.

[00:18:16]>> Nice to meet you.

[00:18:17]>> How can I help you?

[00:18:20]>> I started donating sperm when I was at college. And I ended up doing that for about 5 years. So, I'm here to put myself on the database to help people find me. Really, if those people would just like to know where they came from.

[00:18:38]I have to say I think you're the first sperm donor that I have met and particularly one who wants to come forward because it's actually quite a rare thing >> really.

[00:18:51]>> Yeah. So you tend to hear from people who are donor conceived children who would like to meet you know a half siblings or even potentially get to know who their sperm donor father was. But I think this is the first time it's the other way around.

[00:19:10]>> I'm curious about, you know, my biological children and I suppose I'd like to meet them and see what they're like. So yeah, here I am.

[00:19:20]>> I think for so many donor conceived kids, they they are missing that bit and so many would love that information. So obviously because you know you you've been donating sperm for years, you might have a lot of donor conceived kids.

[00:19:41]>> There's a thought. [snorts] >> There's a thought [laughter] or there might be none. [music] I mean, the main way to do this is to go through the donor conceived register, and [music] that was set up for people to be able to see if they can find donor conceived siblings, but also [music] information about any donor parent. So, that's the main way to go. One of the things that you'll [music] have to bear in mind is that we are completely at the mercy of who's in the databases.

[00:20:13]But I think what you're doing is giving [music] people this opportunity to find you if they want to, which is really nice. Okay, so I need your DNA.

[00:20:25]>> There you go.

[00:20:29]>> Luke's [music] DNA will now be added to the donor conceived register as well as worldwide databases to discover if he has any biological [music] children. His results will also remain on the databases should anyone come forward in years to come.

[00:20:50][music] >> [music] >> Middle Sister [music] Charmaine and her four siblings are waiting to find out whether they are full or half sisters.

[00:21:14]Something their birth mother never shared while she was [music] alive.

[00:21:20]Of the five of us, I would say that I knew my mom better than [music] the rest of them.

[00:21:29]I was living in a care home, but I used to go and see my mom at weekends.

[00:21:36]There was so many beautiful memories.

[00:21:40]Like [music] she came to see me when I was on holiday and I won a beauty competition and she were dead proud of me [music] and I was dead proud that my mom was there.

[00:21:52]And I I feel guilty about having them memories because my other sisters didn't get the chance to have the memories with her.

[00:22:03]For oldest sister Julia and second youngest Lynn, their only connection to their birth mother was through their adoption records.

[00:22:14]>> From paperwork I was signed away before I was born.

[00:22:18]I don't even know if she held me.

[00:22:22]But to hear about how she suffered mentally, it was heartbreaking.

[00:22:27]She wasn't well. She wasn't well. And then sadly, she did commit suicide and she was only young. I think she's only 42.

[00:22:38]But back then, mental health wasn't dealt with at all properly. I mean, even [music] to try and commit su is a crime.

[00:22:45]and she found herself locked up a few times because of it.

[00:22:54]Whilst most of the [music] sisters have no idea who their fathers were for middle sister Jackie and youngest Janice, they remember one particular boyfriend of their moms who they called dad. His name was Jack Bethl.

[00:23:09]My mom and Jack Bethl were obviously in a relationship for at some point and Jackie and I were supposed to be the product of that relationship.

[00:23:23]Even though Jack's relationship [music] with their mom was on and off for many years, he remained in the girls' lives, occasionally visiting them at [music] their foster homes.

[00:23:33]>> Janice and I were in care together.

[00:23:39]She was [music] a very timid little girl. I suppose she really looked up to me like a mom, mother figure in a way, even though I wasn't much older than her.

[00:23:51]Janice wants [music] to visit Jackie the day before they get their DNA test results.

[00:23:57]I have some memories from being [music] little.

[00:24:02]I remember once crying for my mom, but I didn't know who I was crying [music] for.

[00:24:09]>> [laughter] >> I didn't know what my mom looked like, [music] so I cried for Jackie.

[00:24:16]>> Janice and I [music] do have that that special bond. Definitely.

[00:24:22]>> I wish [music] Jack was here. He was funny.

[00:24:26]>> Yeah, >> he was a character, wasn't he?

[00:24:28]>> He was a character. I remember Jack when he talked about my mom and he beautiful woman.

[00:24:36]And that's what he used and and that's so that's the only memory I have of him talking about her. But he did used to have a laugh. He used to play his air guitar.

[00:24:42]>> Yeah. Yeah.

[00:24:44]>> As far as I'm concerned, [music] Jack was my dad and that was all I needed to know.

[00:24:49]>> I mean, that's all we ever knew as a dad, didn't we?

[00:24:52]>> We did.

[00:24:56]>> But whatever the [music] results are, you know, I'm always going to be here.

[00:25:00]>> I'm your I'm your mommy. You are.

[00:25:03]>> I do. [music] I love you to bits. You know that.

[00:25:05]>> I know. Until now, the sisters have never known whether they share [music] the same father.

[00:25:31]The results of their [music] DNA test are back and they're meeting to finally find out whether they are full or half siblings.

[00:25:42]>> Come on in.

[00:25:45]>> Hi.

[00:25:45]>> Hi.

[00:25:47]>> Hi. It's lovely to see you all again.

[00:25:50]You too.

[00:25:50]>> Pleasure to see you again.

[00:25:52]>> Nice to see you.

[00:25:54]Okay.

[00:25:56]So, when I met you all the first time, your question was around whether or not you are full sisters or Hoffsisters.

[00:26:08]And I know that one of the things that we discussed the first time around was whether or not we would be able to use your DNA to essentially start to work out who your biological fathers were.

[00:26:27]Are you happy for me to continue?

[00:26:29]>> Yeah.

[00:26:30]>> Ready as we'll ever be. Yeah.

[00:26:32]>> Yeah. [laughter] Cool.

[00:26:34]>> Okay.

[00:26:37]Janice, Charmaine, Julia, [music] you are half sisters. You all [music] have different fathers.

[00:26:51]>> Wow.

[00:26:51]>> Look at all them.

[00:26:56]>> Lynn and [music] Jackie, you are full sisters.

[00:27:02]You share the same [music] father. Wow.

[00:27:08]>> [snorts] >> two nutters. [laughter] >> We had a I think we >> we've always had a little sneaky feeling.

[00:27:19]>> Now it's confirmed [music] it and that I'm happy with that. Are you [laughter] >> a you happy? It's okay. It's okay.

[00:27:30]>> Yeah.

[00:27:31]So Lynn [music] and Jackie, your father is Jack Bethl.

[00:27:40]>> Oh wow.

[00:27:48][laughter] >> You've [snorts] got a dad.

[00:27:53]>> That's what you've always wanted, sweetheart.

[00:27:56]>> Yeah. We we can see that because when we look at who you're matching in the DNA databases, you're getting matches to other Bethls who have coincidentally also taken DNA tests.

[00:28:13]>> And having that name to start with really helped us.

[00:28:19]>> Good. Good.

[00:28:24]So that [music] makes us half sisters to you. We're still all >> That's right. Yeah.

[00:28:29]>> Are you surprised?

[00:28:31]>> I'm a little surprised at that. And I had it in my head that Jackie and Janice >> had the same father >> and Charmaine and Lynn had the same father and I was the odd one out.

[00:28:47]>> And I've said that from the beginning.

[00:28:49]Bless me.

[00:28:54]>> I did expect him to be my dad. Jack, [snorts] >> you're still my sister.

[00:29:00]>> You're still a sister.

[00:29:01]>> You're still our sister.

[00:29:02]>> You're still my baby.

[00:29:04]>> Come on. [snorts] >> You're our baby girl.

[00:29:10][snorts] >> I think that [laughter] is something really important to say. You clearly have a connection. You are you are sisters and nothing is going to take that away from you. [snorts] >> We've all got our mom.

[00:29:22]>> We just got different dads.

[00:29:26]>> Yeah.

[00:29:27]>> Are you sure?

[00:29:28]>> No. Yeah. I'm I'm fine. Yeah.

[00:29:31]>> Now, I can tell you that we've got ancestry information for all of you. We have not been able to get specific information about all of your fathers.

[00:29:44]Are you happy for me to continue [clears throat] >> with that?

[00:29:48]>> Yeah.

[00:29:51]>> Come on.

[00:29:52]>> Okay. So, Janice, you're getting matches in the sort of Cheshire Manchester area.

[00:30:01]We cannot say who your biological father is.

[00:30:05]>> Okay. But based on the names that are in the databases, we know that he must be descended from the Roberts and the Aring Soul family.

[00:30:16]>> Arting Soul, >> right?

[00:30:19]>> So, one of those two surnames.

[00:30:21]>> And that's as far as that can go.

[00:30:23]>> That's as far as that one's gone at the moment.

[00:30:25]>> That's fine. That is not to say that six months from now, a year from now, somebody takes a DNA test and they pop up on the database and that allows us to home in Julia.

[00:30:38]Okay. Again, you're getting matches in Northwest England, but you're getting a bit of Irish in you as well.

[00:30:48]So, you're getting matches that suggest that [music] your father is descended from the Smith and the Walsh family.

[00:30:59]>> Those surnames are so common >> that it's very difficult to home in at the moment [music] on who your biological father's family is. That's as far as we've managed to get with that one.

[00:31:12]>> That's why I like Guinness.

[00:31:14][laughter] Okay, Charmaine, [music] you are getting matches in Northwest England. [music] And after looking at your matches on the [music] DNA databases and working with birth, marriage, and death records, we can tell you who your grandparents are.

[00:31:40]>> Wow.

[00:31:40]>> Wow.

[00:31:41]>> Wow.

[00:31:42]>> Wow.

[00:31:43]>> Okay. Fabulous.

[00:31:46]>> Your grandparents surname was Jackson.

[00:31:50]>> Wow.

[00:31:53]>> They married in 1929. [music] They had two sons, one of whom must be your father, >> Jackson. I have heard that name.

[00:32:05]>> Without a [music] DNA test, we cannot confirm.

[00:32:08]>> Yes.

[00:32:10]>> Wow. [laughter] Oh, thank you. Thank you so much.

[00:32:18]>> Char Jackson. Yeah.

[00:32:20]>> Sounds like you should be one of the Jackson five.

[00:32:22]>> Yeah. [laughter] >> Wow. The eldest is still alive.

[00:32:29]>> Wow.

[00:32:30]>> So, knowing that, are you happy for us to make contact and try and take this forward?

[00:32:39]>> Definitely.

[00:32:39]>> Okay.

[00:32:40]>> Definitely. Wow.

[00:32:43]>> So now knowing the answer to your question, are you happy that you went through this process?

[00:32:50]>> Yes, definitely.

[00:32:51]>> Certain. Definitely.

[00:32:53]>> 100%.

[00:32:54]>> Yeah, I am. Definitely. And I'm so grateful cuz it's we found information that we never had.

[00:33:04]>> I know you're going to go and see Stacy next to chat [music] through some more of this.

[00:33:08]>> Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. You're very welcome. Thank you for all the hard work.

[00:33:13]>> You're very welcome.

[00:33:18]>> Here we go.

[00:33:20]>> Hey.

[00:33:21]>> Hey. Good.

[00:33:23]>> How you?

[00:33:28][music] >> Yeah.

[00:33:32]>> Wow.

[00:33:32]>> I know.

[00:33:34]>> A huge amount to try and get your head around.

[00:33:38]>> Wow. Yeah. [laughter] Big world.

[00:33:41]>> Let's start with with you two, Lynn and Jackie.

[00:33:44]>> Biologically full siblings.

[00:33:47]>> Yes. Yeah.

[00:33:48]>> Jack is your father. Was your father?

[00:33:51]>> I know. Jack. Yeah. I've got the answer.

[00:33:54]>> How does that change your life? Do you reckon?

[00:33:58]>> It's just given me closure on the keep going and going and trying to find and trying to find.

[00:34:04]But it just like I've still got my sisters. We're still here. We're all together. We'll never not be [music] together.

[00:34:10]>> And that's it. You know what I mean? I know it's a bit of a cliche, but there is a genuine sisterhood here.

[00:34:16]>> Yeah.

[00:34:17]>> And you know, when we met at your place last time, Janice, I really >> could feel the closeness between you two.

[00:34:24]>> Yeah.

[00:34:25]>> And I think whilst you're not full biological siblings, actually, you share a mom, but you also share lived experiences. Yeah, we do that people will be able to relate to.

[00:34:38]>> Yeah, I think that that's part of our [music] history. That's that our bond really. That's there. You know, >> I'm just grateful that I find out, you know, my sisters are all still my sisters whether whether [music] we're full or half.

[00:34:49]>> Yeah, that's what I mean. There's a real closeness here. And even if you haven't got the same mom and dad, you share [music] a mom. You've got >> We still share our children. Got beautiful nephews, nieces. I'm glad we've done it [music] cuz it's answered it's given us answers to well for Lyn like I say obviously >> I'm so glad but [music] it's yeah it's been good to do it.

[00:35:10]>> Just got to carry on now and keep supporting each other.

[00:35:13]>> Yeah, that's the one.

[00:35:15]>> Well done ladies.

[00:35:18]>> Thank you so much for everything.

[00:35:20]Amazing. [music] >> Pleasure.

[00:35:33]>> [music] [music] >> Being a twin is fantastic.

[00:35:57]would recommend it to everybody.

[00:35:58]Everybody should have a toy.

[00:36:00]>> Yeah, they should.

[00:36:05]>> I [music] was born first. I was the smaller of the two twins.

[00:36:12]She always says [music] that the big twin pushes the small twin out first.

[00:36:17]You know, it wasn't my fault I was bigger. [laughter] 12 years ago, I was [music] 34.

[00:36:30]I was living my best life. Moved in with my husband and it was great.

[00:36:36]And then bang, all of a sudden, mommy found out she had breast cancer.

[00:36:43]And that just knocked us all for six.

[00:36:51]We were there with her [music] the whole way through everything.

[00:36:55]It was really really hard to watch her suffering.

[00:37:03]But then [music] you know once she died the thought turned to what about us? You know are we at risk for this?

[00:37:14]Identical twins Diane and Louise have not only lost their mom to cancer but a number of other relatives which could mean their family carries a fault in one of the bracka genes that might be deadly. If [music] they have inherited this fault there is up to a 72% chance they will get cancer.

[00:37:43]Analyzing their DNA is the only way to find out.

[00:37:50]>> Hello.

[00:37:52]>> How are you?

[00:37:53]>> I'm great. Nice to meet you. Likewise.

[00:37:55]It's so lovely to meet you. You both look so glamorous.

[00:37:58]>> Oh, we do.

[00:37:59]>> Yeah. I should have put me dress on.

[00:38:00]I've come in trainers.

[00:38:03]>> You're Diane.

[00:38:04]>> I am.

[00:38:05]>> And you're Louise.

[00:38:06]>> I feel like people are always really impressed when they meet twins because everyone wanted to be a twin at one point. But you've always been like incredibly close.

[00:38:14]>> Yeah, really close. Yeah, we were always known as the terrible twins. Yeah. There was one time my aunt was babysitting for us. We were supposed to be upstairs in bed. I think we were 3 years old at the time. Aunt and she came outside and I was hanging Diane out the window by her feet.

[00:38:26]>> Yeah. [laughter] >> Brilliant. Um, talk me through why you want to get yourselves tested.

[00:38:34]>> Our family history of cancer is very extensive. Not just our mom, >> but it's like my grandmother, aunt both had breast cancer. Do you know what? It looks quite likely it could be a faulty gene that possibly we've inherited.

[00:38:50]>> It sounds to me like you've essentially been sort of looking over your shoulder thinking, God, is this is this coming for us?

[00:38:57]>> It's more to do with family and needing to know because >> making plans for the future. Both my children are autistic and I had them a bit later in life. So like my youngest child will be 18 when I'm 60. My mom died at 66. So need to be able to put plans in place, you know, to support them.

[00:39:18]>> The inevitability of it >> Yeah.

[00:39:20]>> is just so real for us at the minute. So >> knowledge is power.

[00:39:23]>> No, I understand what you're saying. I get that. Yeah.

[00:39:25]>> Yeah.

[00:39:26]>> If it's there, you need to know about it. Don't stick your head in the sand.

[00:39:28]It's not going to disappear.

[00:39:29]>> If we know, we can take a base of action. Would you think about sort of removing breasts, taking out your ovaries, whatever it took?

[00:39:37]>> Definitely the breasts and the ovaries.

[00:39:39]Definitely.

[00:39:39]>> It's a massive sacrifice.

[00:39:41]>> Oh, yeah. That's massive. So, >> it's a no-brainer. And to be fair, I wouldn't mind having new breasts. That would be nice, too. [laughter] >> I sort of get the impression that you're both being really sort of practical and pragmatic about things, >> but this is pretty massive. Like, how often are you thinking about this? Well, we we try not to it, but it's always there in the back of your mind.

[00:40:03]>> Cancer is mentioned somewhere every day.

[00:40:06]>> You know, you think how often you hear about someone that's had a diagnosis or someone's that's sick. Every time it's mentioned, you think, "Oh, that could be me."

[00:40:13]>> Yeah.

[00:40:15]>> You're so close and there's such a beautiful relationship there. Can you even entertain the idea of not having the other one around?

[00:40:24]>> No.

[00:40:25]>> No.

[00:40:25]>> That must just >> completely terrify.

[00:40:28]>> It does. Yeah, >> it's it's very real. You know, >> we know we won't cope well without each other, but the outcome can only be positive either way because if one would don't have the gene, fantastic. It's absolutely brilliant.

[00:40:43]>> But if we do have that gene, then at least we know so we can do something about it [laughter] >> faster. Joey, >> I'm more worried about my sister now that the children have both been diagnosed with autism.

[00:41:02]She wants to be there for as long as [music] she can with them.

[00:41:08]Louise always looked after me and put herself second.

[00:41:13]I don't know what I'd do without her.

[00:41:18]Diana and Louise are meeting with Sarah Beck, hoping that she can discover if [music] their DNA carries a genetic fault that increases the risk of developing cancer.

[00:41:32]When you're offering genetic testing to identical twins, the results will be the same um for each of them. And that's because identical twins have exactly the same genetic code. They're going to get the same result, but it doesn't mean that they would make the same decisions with regards to managing any increased risk. One may choose screening, one may choose surgery. Some will do nothing.

[00:41:53]>> You a bit nervous? Wee bit.

[00:41:55]>> Yeah. Sure. It's all we've talked about for months, maybe years.

[00:42:00]>> Yeah. So, it'll be good to finally get it out of the way.

[00:42:03]>> Yeah.

[00:42:07]>> Diane Louise, I'm Sarah. It's nice to meet you.

[00:42:15]So what we'll do is we'll just [music] talk about the genes that we can look at um possible results and go from there.

[00:42:21]>> Okay.

[00:42:21]>> Okay.

[00:42:22]>> Okay.

[00:42:22]>> Okay.

[00:42:24]>> So if you imagine a gene is a bit like a recipe book.

[00:42:27]>> Yeah.

[00:42:28]>> Genetic testing is reading through the book looking for spelling mistakes. Does that make sense?

[00:42:32]>> That does. Yeah.

[00:42:33]>> So I suppose the first thing to say is that when we do a genetic test, we're not looking to see if you have these genes. looking really to see if they're working properly. If we did find a spelling mistake or what we call a variant, um, for you it would mean that you have an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer. Okay. Dan and I are only 10 years younger than mom was at the age she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

[00:42:55]So, it's kind of like we need to take action now rather than just sitting waiting. It's a constant worry. It's just always in the back of our mind. Our biggest concern was that [music] our mom, our aunt, and our grandmother had breast cancer.

[00:43:12]>> There is more breast cancer than we'd expect by chance.

[00:43:16]>> Three close relatives with breast cancer. That could suggest that there is a genetic cause.

[00:43:24][music] >> Sarah will take blood from Dian and Louise in order to analyze their DNA and see if they carry a fault in one of [music] their Bracka genes.

[00:43:33]They received their results in 4 weeks.

[00:43:38][music] [music] >> [music] >> 30 years after he first donated sperm, Luke will find out if he has any biological children that are trying [music] to make contact.

[00:44:16]>> I'm [music] trepidacious.

[00:44:21]be lovely to have some sort of relationship in that sense of a, you know, children suddenly find their longlost dad.

[00:44:30]I'd love to know what they're doing.

[00:44:34]Curiosity.

[00:44:38]I think I'm ready [music] to open this door right now.

[00:44:46]It could change my life.

[00:44:52]Hello. Come on in.

[00:44:56]Hi.

[00:44:57]>> Hello. It's lovely to see you again.

[00:44:58]>> I see you again. Yeah.

[00:45:00]>> Okay. So, when I first met you, it was because you wanted to find out if you had any sperm donor children. Mhm.

[00:45:11]>> And that was because you had donated sperm hundreds of times in the 1980s when you were at university.

[00:45:20]>> So we know that so far there's been only around 200 men who have come forward who have lifted their right to anonymity.

[00:45:31]>> Right. That's that's a tiny number. Yes.

[00:45:35]>> Yeah. you know it you are part of a very unique group of men.

[00:45:40]>> So there was always going to be two shots at finding any donor conceived children. The first was to upload your DNA to the worldwide databases.

[00:45:52]And when we looked through all of these databases, not a single person was on there who looks like they are your donor child.

[00:46:04]Yeah, >> but that was going to be just, you know, a route.

[00:46:09]>> But the main thing was actually to go on the donor conceive register and make yourself available for any >> donor conceived children who were looking for you.

[00:46:22]So, the results are in.

[00:46:24]>> Mhm.

[00:46:25]>> And we've got an email from the donor conceived [music] register, >> but only you can open it.

[00:46:32]>> Right.

[00:46:33]>> Right. You ready?

[00:46:34]>> Okay.

[00:46:36]>> So, let me give you this.

[00:46:41]>> So, there you go. So, [music] it's just there.

[00:46:45]Just open this.

[00:46:51][music] >> Just take your time.

[00:46:57]>> Um, comparison of your sample with the current donor conceived individuals has not revealed a link.

[00:47:08]I'm aware that this may be disappointing for you, but we will continue to compare your sample with all new registrants and will write to you if we [music] have any positive findings in the future.

[00:47:19]>> So, no children on the donor conceived register.

[00:47:25]It's not that you don't [music] have donor conceived children out there. It's hugely possible that you could have [music] dozens of donor conceived children.

[00:47:35]>> Yeah.

[00:47:36]>> They may not [music] know that they are donor conceived because the only way they're going to know is if their parents have told them. Equally, you can have people who know that they're donor conceived [music] and they're completely relaxed about the whole thing. They don't feel a need at this point to find anything further.

[00:47:53]They may do in the future. They may never feel the need to [music] find out.

[00:47:58]It's early days, really early days. So, it could easily be that you have dozens of children out there. They're not yet on the donor conceived register and that register is growing [music] all of the time.

[00:48:11]Give it a few months and you get an email.

[00:48:14]>> Yeah, that was something that was occurring to me more and more over that this is kind of a lifetime thing.

[00:48:21]It may be that I'm 80 and someone will come up and go, "Excuse me."

[00:48:27][laughter] >> Yeah, it's one of those things. So I though it hasn't [music] turned out quite how we would have hoped. That is actually the reality I suppose of genetic [music] testing.

[00:48:37]>> Yeah, I'm I was always happy with either result to be honest with you. I'm I'm cool with that. I mean that's what it was all for.

[00:48:48]So, I know you're going to go and see Stacy now.

[00:48:51]>> Yeah, it be nice to see her again.

[00:48:53]>> All right. Thank you very much.

[00:48:54]>> You're welcome. Bye.

[00:49:00]>> Hello. Hello.

[00:49:02]>> Hello.

[00:49:02]>> How's things?

[00:49:03]>> Not bad. Not bad. Yeah.

[00:49:05]>> Pleased to see.

[00:49:08]>> Thanks for coming out.

[00:49:11]>> So, how talk to me? How are you feeling?

[00:49:15]kind of was the same actually now [music] be because there there were no results that came back this time.

[00:49:20]>> Mhm.

[00:49:21]>> What's your overriding emotion in your heart of hearts in your gut? Are you relieved? Are you disappointed?

[00:49:31][snorts] >> Um that's it. It's it's interesting because it's uh I for a while I was thinking, oh well, you know, I I'll find out then and then that's it. But that isn't it, is it? you know, I I found out how it is now. That's all it is. It's >> fascinating, isn't it?

[00:49:48]>> Yeah.

[00:49:49]>> Crazy [clears throat] interesting.

[00:49:50]>> I am amazed that so few men have [music] come forward out of the thousands that um donated.

[00:49:58]>> Yes. I think in a way I've done the right thing [music] >> and so I'm happy uh I can move on.

[00:50:05]>> Yeah.

[00:50:05]>> And if somebody gets in touch further down the line, brilliant.

[00:50:08]>> Well, I hope I can do the right thing again. And no news is good news.

[00:50:12]>> You would hope [music] with all of, you know, most people who had been waiting and trying everything to have a child would provide the a really nice environment for their children. And it seems [music] that's been the case hopefully. So, job done.

[00:50:27]>> Oh, >> yeah.

[00:50:29]>> Let's see what happens further down the line. [music] >> Yeah. Yeah. Well, that's it. Yeah. Come back to me in 40 years.

[00:50:37]>> No regrets.

[00:50:38]>> No. But thank you ever so much for, you know, being so honest and so generous and [music] yeah, I really appreciate it.

[00:50:44]>> Thank you for being so lovely.

[00:50:50]>> Thinking about how many people [music] there could be out there always makes me smile a bit.

[00:50:56]It did something [music] nice for people.

[00:51:00]And I think helping people have children, that is something I have put into the world. I mean, that's surely a good thing.

[00:51:08]having my DNA somewhere. [music] For me, it's just providing a piece of the puzzle for somebody else.

[00:51:18][music] Diane and Louise have [music] been waiting a month to find out if they have both inherited a genetic fault, which would mean they have a much higher chance of [music] developing breast and ovarian cancer.

[00:51:52]>> We're really [music] living in fear at the minute because we don't know if we've inherited the gene.

[00:52:02]care about Diane more than I care about myself.

[00:52:06][music] I really rely on Louise.

[00:52:14]It does terrify me if anything happened that weren't together cuz [music] I I really don't know how I woke up with that.

[00:52:26]I really struggled watching mom going through all [music] the cancer treatments.

[00:52:33]She really was so ill.

[00:52:37]I I would hate to imagine watching Dian have to go through something like that.

[00:52:44]I would much rather it was me. [music] No one of us is going to have to die first, but it's just hoping that it's way off in the future. Maybe we'll just do that [music] and then Louise drive off a cliff. [laughter] That would be easier.

[00:53:15][music] >> Are you okay?

[00:53:20]>> Yep.

[00:53:21]>> How you feeling?

[00:53:22]>> Slightly anxious.

[00:53:23]>> Slightly.

[00:53:24]>> Yeah.

[00:53:25]>> Very anxious.

[00:53:34]Diane, Louise, come on through.

[00:53:42]>> Nice to see you again.

[00:53:47]>> Nice to see you both again.

[00:53:51]When we met before, we talked about your family history of cancer and particularly the family history of breast and ovarian cancer. Um, you both provided a blood sample that was sent off for genetic testing and I've now got your results.

[00:54:06]So, the testing has looked at the BA one BA 2 genes and there are no variants in any of those genes that would increase your risk of developing cancer.

[00:54:18]And I'm pleased to say that both of you have completely normal genetic results.

[00:54:23]>> Really?

[00:54:24]>> Yeah.

[00:54:24]>> Yay.

[00:54:25]>> Both fantastic.

[00:54:27]>> That's brilliant. I won't cry if it >> Yeah. So, it's great relief.

[00:54:34]>> We've looked at all the high-risisk genes. [music] They're all completely normal, which is great news for you and obviously for your children.

[00:54:41]>> Great.

[00:54:42]>> That's brilliant news.

[00:54:43]>> Yeah. Yeah, >> was so worried it [music] was going to be positive. But now that it's negative, it's just such a weight off our shoulders because, you know, my assumption was always that I wouldn't [music] be around to support my kids. So that's all been pushed to the side now and it's now like, yeah, I can make plans with my family.

[00:55:02]>> That's it. They'll not get rid of you that easily.

[00:55:06]>> Such a relief.

[00:55:07]>> It really is.

[00:55:08]>> Yeah. kind [music] of just want to go and do a we dance. [laughter] >> Really nice to see you both [music] again today and really nice to give you some good news.

[00:55:16]>> Thanks so much. You're welcome.

[00:55:20]>> Coming in today, I just thought, "Oh, it's going to be bad news. It's going to be awful. What are we going to do after this?" But thankfully, it went the way we wanted it to.

[00:55:43]>> [music] >> Hi. How you doing?

[00:55:50]>> We're good.

[00:55:52]>> So, ladies, you've got your result.

[00:55:54]>> Yeah, the results were negative for both of us. Yes. which is [music] enormous because you had convinced yourselves that it was going to be positive.

[00:56:07]>> We don't [music] carry any of the cancer genes.

[00:56:10]>> I'm so so delighted for the pair of you.

[00:56:13]Goodness me, it couldn't have gone any better.

[00:56:15]>> The only problem is is that because we always assumed we had this [music] gene.

[00:56:19]Neither of us have paid into a pension.

[00:56:21][laughter] >> Yeah. So, it's just sort of like, oh, we might actually have a retirement.

[00:56:28][laughter] This is great news.

[00:56:30]>> Exactly. Yeah.

[00:56:31]>> Yeah.

[00:56:32]>> So lovely to see you both and I'm so thrilled for you. Congratulations. I'm made up.

[00:56:37]>> Thank you.

[00:56:39]>> Bye.

[00:56:39]>> Bye.

[00:56:50]>> I think you're still [laughter] not right.

[00:56:57]>> [clears throat] [laughter] >> You wouldn't know that.

[00:57:06][music] [music] [music] >> [music] [music] >> A lovely cheers viewers gazant gazante.

[00:57:51]Oh, that's that one is nice. Yeah.

[00:57:54]>> Cheers.

[00:57:56]>> [music] >> This way, Joey. Look. Here they come.

[00:58:04][laughter] Okay.