Campaign Story

With the permission of our younger sister Natalie, and her husband Skyler, we are fundraising on their behalf as they undergo fertility treatments in hopes to become parents. If you know these two, they are not the kind to ask for help. Unfortunately, insurance covers zero fertility costs including treatments, ultrasounds, lab draws, medications, genetic testing, surgery/anesthesia costs, etc. They are currently facing a financial burden and trying to stay above water to make their dreams a reality.

Natalie has always dreamed about becoming a mother. Growing up, we would all talk about raising our kids together and having the same traditions we had when we were growing up. She would talk about finding the love of her life, getting married, and have a half dozen little ones running around. Little did she know, the last part of that would become the biggest challenge of her life. In junior high, she was diagnosed with hypothyroidism. Having low thyroid hormone levels can interfere with ovulation, which leads to irregular or absent menses and difficulty conceiving. This was never brought up or talked about at the time with her doctor, so it never crossed her mind that it would be such a concern in her adult years. She has always lived life to the fullest and sets goals for herself. She entered the medical field in her late teens, with a solid career in which she excelled in. She became a first-time homeowner and a fur mama, but something was always missing, a family of her own. Things started to become concerning in her mid 20’s as she really started to struggle with her menses. She would have heavy bleeding, severe cramping, and long cycles. She met with her PCP, had both abdominal and trans vaginal ultrasounds done, but things appeared “normal” and nothing was too concerning. Her periods gradually became worse, having extreme bleeding – months at a time. She knew then, something was seriously wrong, and it was time to seek care from a gynecological specialist in Des Moines, IA.  It was there she was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS). She was put on Medroxyprogesterone and Metformin to help improve insulin sensitivity which helps regular menstrual cycles and promotes ovulation.  

Later that year, she met the love of her life, Skyler. She knew by the end of their first date, she was going to marry that man. Things got serious fairly quick, and by the beginning of 2021, Natalie said goodbye to Iowa and moved to Minnesota to start her new life with Skyler. Soon after the move, she met with a new PCP, discussed PCOS and her concerns, and mentioned that they were more than ready to have children and needed some advice as it seemed impossible due to her condition. She was instantly referred to Sanford Health Fertility and Reproductive Medicine in Sioux Falls, SD. After ultrasounds showed “small cysts”, she underwent surgery to have them removed. When they went in, no cysts were present, instead thick scar tissue was found and removed, all being caused by her heavy menses prior.  Surely, it was discussed that this, along with having PCOS could be a major factor as to why conception was difficult.

She was started on Letrozole and trigger shots and was told to try the natural way of conception with the help of these medications. After 3 months, no success. The next step was to do intrauterine insemination (IUI), a fertility treatment procedure where sperm is directly placed into the uterus during ovulation to increase the chance of fertilization. First month, failed. Second month, failed. Third and final month, failed. They felt hopeless and defeated. Now what? Their doctor sat them down and discussed IVF with ICSI would be their best option moving forward. It was time to start all the injections and medications to prepare for egg retrieval surgery. December 2024, Natalie had her surgery. 25 eggs were retrieved, 19 eggs were mature, and 10 eggs fertilized normally. Out of those 10 eggs, only 4 made it to blastocyst. Meaning, they reached the early stage of embryonic development. All 4 embryos were biopsied and sent in for genetic testing. After a couple of weeks, the results came back that 1 of the 4 embryos was euploid, meaning it had the correct number of chromosomes. The other 3 were considered low level mosaic, having either extra or missing chromosomes. In February 2025, they transferred their one healthy little euploid embryo. They prayed and prayed hard for this baby for two long weeks. Shortly after her bloodwork, Natalie received a call from her doctor. It was the call she had hoped and prayed for, a positive pregnancy result. It soon became the best day of their lives. It was FINALLY their time! A few days had passed, and Natalie started to experience some cramping followed by some bleeding. She reached out to her clinic and asked if she could be seen a little sooner before her scheduled ultrasound as something didn’t feel right. Her instincts were right as she experienced an early miscarriage. It quickly became the worst day of their lives. They now sit with a decision to make. A second round is their best option but they unfortunately cannot afford it. They do have frozen embryos in storage, but those embryos are at higher risk for not implanting, miscarrying, or being born with abnormalities. 

Natalie is a devoted wife, a loving daughter and sister, a friend to many.  She has her own business, designing and making shirts and other apparel.  She also works part time in her community at the local city hall.  Skyler is one of the hardest working men that we know.  He is committed to his job, working for a sanitation company and driving semi-truck.  He puts in many long hours to provide for them, and he doesn’t quit until the job is done.  He is very involved in his community where he serves on the first responders and is an officer on the fire department.  Skyler doesn’t have a single enemy, as he is everybody’s friend.

Natalie and Skyler demonstrate every single day the meaning of strength, courage, and resilience. This journey has been so incredibly hard, but together, they get through the toughest days. Please consider donating to help make this dream come true and to help Natalie and Skyler become the parents they deserve to be!