Campaign Story

Hello. We are Lisa and John. I have been a prek educator for 17 years in New York City and my husband has been a College Specialist and Peace Officer for the City University of New York for the last 20 years. I, like so many other women, am currently trying to navigate infertility. At 30 I found out I have fibroids. By 35, I had to have surgery for them. One fibroid had grown to the size of an orange and was impacting my everyday life. While I was receiving imaging for surgery and preparing for my myomectomy, I found out I have an unicornuate uterus, which is a uterus that, in the womb, forms with only one fallopian tube, forms either a left or a right uterus and is smaller in size. It is also deviated. I was told by my surgeon that it may cause infertility. I went my whole life not knowing this and considering my age, time became of the essence.

I met my now husband at 32, who has been amazing in his support for me. He is who has administered my IVF injections and makes sure to check in with me daily to make sure I am okay. We married in 2022 when I was 37 and have since been trying to concieve. During our struggle to conceive, I found out my fibroids started to grow back, but I was told by two reproductive specialists that they are very small. I was told I am capable of carrying a pregnancy to term as my uterus is actually very close to the size of a typical uterus, but that I may need a little more help getting pregnant. Luckily I found my amazing doctor, a reproductive endocrinologist, who has been holding my hand along the way. I completed 3 IVF cycles and had only one embryo. I completed a successful implantation of that embryo, got pregnant, and unfortunately, I miscarried. It was my first time ever being pregnant and me and my husband were so excited. Knowing how common miscarriages are in pregnancy, I understand how things can go, but having one while having to do IVF presents an even bigger challenge. Time and money. I have exhausted my insurance benefits because unfortunately most insurance companies place a lifetime cap on fertility benefits. In my state, you are capped at 3 cycles and one implantation. A cap is not really fair because that just is not how a womans reproductive system works especially when there are challenges and the option of time is necessary to navigate the complexity of the reproductive process. Fertility treatments and medications are quite costly and so I am trying to raise funds for my fertility treatments and fertility medication. Many women suffer this private shame. Although we know it is nothing to be ashamed of, the thought that we have to work that much harder to get pregnant can be quite taxing and can put stress on our self worth. My desire to be a mother outweighs the discomfort and mental load that comes with infertility. I am so grateful for the opportunity to be able to participate in IVF. Modern science will help me be able to realize mine and my husbands dream of becoming parents. If you can find it in your heart to donate, my husband and I would be so grateful.