Campaign Story

Hi everyone, my name is Chelsea, and my husband, Devin, and I are facing unexplained infertility. Devin and I met nine years ago when his special-needs daughter, Kora, was 12. Devin was working on his organic farm/ special-needs retreat/respite center project, and I had been a cook for almost a decade. Knowing from the time I was very young that I wanted to be a mom, I saw how dedicated Devin was as a father, and it warmed my heart and encouraged me that I was in the right place.

The next several years were a challenge for us, struggling with finances and Kora’s growing needs, including her self-injurious behaviors and health issues. Knowing that I needed to ensure a solid career for myself to be able to be a responsible mom, I began the journey towards becoming a registered nurse (RN). In 2020, as I sent in my application, a large tornado in Nashville demolished the business where I worked and did enough damage to shut down the business where Devin worked. We both lost our incomes, but there was light on the horizon, I soon found out that I had been accepted to nursing school.

Devin and I married in May of 2020, and I began nursing school in August. I graduated at the top of my class in 2022 at 34. Throughout my schooling, I was going to preconception appointments to ensure health. Still, I developed a heart arrhythmia, which I underwent surgery for in the fall of 2022 so that when I got pregnant, I would not be at risk of heart failure.

After being medically cleared, Devin and I began trying for a child. After several months, we identified a treatable issue that Devin could take medication for. Sadly, here we are 18 months after embarking on this journey, and we have not had a successful pregnancy.

Our doctor tells us that because of our ages (mostly mine at 36) and previously mentioned factors, we only have a 3% chance of conceiving naturally every month. He’s recommending that we immediately start IUI procedures, and we know that there’s a decent possibility that we may have to move to IVF in the future. As most of you know, fertility treatments can be extraordinarily expensive, as up to 70% of people who undergo fertility treatments need more than one. IVF itself can be up to $18,000 per month of treatment. Unfortunately, we are not in a position to begin our journey as parents being that much in debt.

Devin and I are idealists and humanists. We are currently working as a carpenter and nurse. We love our town, our community, our little family of Kora, and our three fur babies. We would love the opportunity to join our love within a child and raise them to be a kind, curious, and joyful asset to the world that treats people, animals, and nature with respect. Any contribution would leave us extraordinarily humbled.

Thank you for taking the time to learn about our story. Please feel free to share it with whomever you would like. If you are able to contribute, no amount is too small to be appreciated.

With the utmost gratitude,
Chelsea & Devin Peña