Jacqui, 48, thought she was too old to be a surrogate for her longtime friends - but she defied health concerns to carry their child: 'A good challenge'

By MATT JONES, SENIOR NEWS REPORTER, AUSTRALIA Published: 03:47, 4 July 2026 | Updated: 03:49, 4 July 2026 A 48-year-old real estate agent carried a baby for her friends as a surrogate, despite warnings from her doctor that there may be health risks. Jacqui McKeering acted as a surrogate for Mark Fullerton and his husband Aaron McGillivray while managing menopause symptoms and running her real estate business in Sandgate, north of Brisbane. Surrogacy in Queensland is strictly regulated and it is only permitted when altruistic, meaning the surrogate receives no financial profit but intended parents must cover her reasonable out-of-pocket expenses. Ms McKeering had known the couple for ten years and made the selfless offer because of their friendship. At an Australia Day barbecue, she told them she would happily be their surrogate but believed she was 'too old'.  But, after some research and despite her obstetrician warning that her age might pose health risks to her when carrying a baby, she agreed. 'I had no doubts about doing it. I am a person who likes a bit of an adventure in life and that was just one adventure and a challenge,' Ms McKeering told the Daily Mail. 'It was a good challenge. I was gifting something.' Jacqui McKeering was a surrogate for Mark Fullerton and his husband Aaron McGillivray  Ms McKeering said she wanted to help her friends by carrying baby Oliver  Nearly 40 per cent of surrogacy embryo transfers result in a live birth and, on Ms McKeering's third embryo transfer attempt, the pregnancy was successful.  'Biologically, it wasn't my child. It was someone else's much younger egg and Mark's sperm, so I was just baking it,' Ms McKeering said. 'It was well thought out and planned and when the little man, Oliver, came out he didn't look like any of my children so that felt good.' The real estate agent, who had previously sold a property to Oliver's fathers, gave birth to their baby four weeks early and did not even have time to receive an epidural. The birth went well and Ms McKeering said she has fully recovered. 'It's been pretty amazing. I've got all my energy back so I'm full steam ahead for the rest of my life,' she said. It had been 18 years between pregnancies for Ms McKeering, but good experiences in the past helped convince her to be a surrogate for her friends. 'It gave me a lot of confidence. The people who were worried about me, including my parents, were people who had bad pregnancies in the past,' she said. The fact she already had two children of her own made her decision to become a surrogate easier, Ms McKeering said (pictured with one of her sons)  The real estate agent says she visits baby Oliver every day 'But because I had a good journey and enjoyed being pregnant, that basically was a great foundation for me to move forward with it.' Aaron McGillivray told The Courier Mail that he and his husband had been together for more than 15 years and married for almost three years. The couple said Ms McKeering will play a role in Oliver's life if she wishes. 'When Ollie was in hospital for three weeks we spent that time swotting up on baby care,' Mr McGillivray said. 'Aunty Jacqui is always at hand to offer her advice. She will always be in Ollie's life - it feels like a big extended family.' Oliver did not look like Ms McKeering's children, which she said made it easier to navigate her relationship with the baby and his parents. 'I do visit him and that was the part I was unsure of,' she said. 'I wasn't sure if I'd cut ties and be distant but I have been involved much more than I thought I would be.  '[Oliver] has been at home a week now and I have seen him every day and that's not out of missing him, it's more out of delivering milk. 'But I've really enjoyed how the boys have embraced me. I don't feel the need to take the baby but I feel a special connection to the baby.' No comments have so far been submitted. Why not be the first to send us your thoughts, or debate this issue live on our message boards. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.