Birthing B.A.L.A

“With your passion for coffee, why not create your own brand?” It was as simple as that. This small suggestion from a dear friend, resonated so strongly within. My mind became alight with all the possibilities and opportunities. I could combine my love of coffee with a way to make money, and that is how B.A.L.A was born… Well, the coffee part at least.

The name? That was birthed from my story, that all started back in 1998.

“You have an ectopic pregnancy”, the doctor said to my parents who were anxiously awaiting multiple scan results. “There are two things that will happen: 1. You will lose your baby, and 2. If we don’t operate now, you will lose your life”.

Now for those unsure of what an ectopic pregnancy is: Ectopic means ‘an abnormal place or position’. There are a few types, but in this particular case we are talking about a tubal pregnancy. Normally, the fertilised egg will make its way to the uterus where it attaches to the lining and the fetus will begin to develop. However in this case, the fertilised egg becomes stuck in the the fallopian tube, for various reasons. It’s unknown exactly why but it could result from inflammation, infection or hormonal imbalance.

Now this is rather inconvenient, as the growing fetus will cause the fallopian tube to burst open, killing both the baby and mother. The only treatment is abortion.

This left my parents no choice but to pray. My dad knelt at the bedside of my mother as tears dripped onto their clasped hands. “Father, please move this baby back into the uterus where it belongs”. The nurses approached the bedside, “Its time.”

My mother was wheeled into the operating theatre and prepped for surgery. The potent general anaesthetic was administered. The best surgeon in the State at the time, scrubbed in. Looking over my mother on the table, he hesitated. “Lets do one more scan, just to make sure”.

They had done all the scans and been over them with a fine tooth comb, this was nothing but a routine procedure. But something stopped him that day. The results came back and the surgeon found my dad.
“I don’t know what happened, or how, but go home, your wife has a perfect pregnancy”.

Relief flooded down my dad’s cheeks. And in that moment, the surgeon may not have known what had happened, but to him nothing was clearer. The hand of God had touched my life and decided it was one worth living; and out of an act of pure belief and unassailable love, I was born.

This pattern of belief and love against insurmountable odds has continued throughout my life. Three instances of near death occasions, some crushing setbacks in the sport I was made for, and countless people telling me “I can’t”. Contrasted with incredible sporting achievements, a life so abundant with purpose and joy, and continuing to prove all those people wrong. One thing has remained throughout: I will always Believe, and I will Love always.

And that is how B.A.L.A was born.

Thanks for having coffee with me.
Caitlin x