“WE DON’T HAVE TO DO ALL OF IT ALONE. WE WERE NEVER MEANT TO.” -BRENE BROWN
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MORE ABOUT LOOKING TO GROW OUR FAMILY
Our Story
Hello and welcome back!
Back in November, 2018, I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Just 9 months after getting married, Alex and I were forced to put our lives and family plans on hold while I underwent treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiation). When I finished treatment in August 2019, we were anxious to resume our lives by growing our family. We were fortunate that I was able to complete an egg retrieval and subsequent in-vitro fertilization before beginning chemotherapy, which significantly diminishes fertility. We ended up with 6 viable embryos to be used to grow our family when the time comes.
In 2021, with a year and a half of remission down, we were ready to grow our family. But there were still more barriers to tackle; due to the long-term maintenance medications, which combat any remaining hormone-fed cancer cells, a typical pregnancy wouldn't be possible for Alex and I. We needed the generosity of a selfless person to carry our child. We needed a gestational carrier. Several friends and family members stepped up, offering to help us start our family. We are eternally grateful for the support we received from everyone as we worked through the difficult fertility process, and navigated the legalities of starting a family via a gestational carrier in a state with antiquated adoption laws.
Our dear friend, Emily, carried and delivered our perfect daughter, Delaney, on March 13, 2023. She gave us the ultimate gift, allowing us to finally start our family nearly 5 years after my initial cancer diagnosis. Delaney is now 2 years old and I am grateful to be cancer-free for nearly 6 years.
Our family plan has always included giving Delaney a younger sibling. We understand that it's a major commitment to be a gestational carrier. We are looking for that special person willing to help us continue to grow our family.
With recent law changes, surrogacy is far safer and more accessible here in Michigan, allowing for legalized and enforceable surrogacy contracts with protections for all parties involved, as well as compensation for the carrier.
If you, or anyone you know, would like to talk more about exploring a surrogacy journey with us, please contact us below. We are grateful for your time learning about our story, and welcome you to share our story.
