Family Stories Sheeba and RiteshWe felt so shattered when we were diagnosed with PCOS soon after getting married in 2011. Within a few months my wife was also diagnosed with hypothyroidism, which compounded the problem of infertility. Struggling to fulfill our dream of having a baby, we started visiting doctors for help. We got the same advice of going for IVF …

Family Stories Raquel and JustinWe have been married since January 12, 2018 and began trying to conceive way before that. We consulted several doctors regarding our issue and were disappointed to find out that are best chances for conceiving would be through IVF. We adopted two puppies, Asia and Sushi, to try and fill the gap in our hearts. Although they …

Family Stories Jacqueline and Oscar We have known each other for 11 years and have been married for four years. After our engagement, Oscar was involved in an devastating motor vehicle accident that left him permanently in a wheelchair. We attempted several IUI treatments, but they have been unsuccessful. We decided to apply for a Coalition Grant after our fertility doctor …

Family Stories Nicole and LanceWe have been married for 6 years, and have been trying to conceive for half of those. We have a wonderful home and two amazing dogs but still our hearts ache for a child. We have tried just about everything to grow our family, including two IVF cycles, both which were unsuccessful. We maxed out our limited …

Family Stories Lora and RobertLora and I met on match.com in November 2010. She’d just moved to the Chicagoland area. I took a chance and messaged her first. Almost four years later we were married in her hometown of Ames, Iowa. We live in the Kenosha area now. Lora works as a youth librarian, while I’m a barista, writer, and aspiring …

Family Stories Lindsay and MatthewAfter a year of being married, we decided it was time to start our family! However, what came next was two long years of trying, multiple doctors, endless procedures, and lots of disappointment; all of which we were unexpected. There’s been many bumps in the road: our first reproductive endocrinologist retired, our second reproductive endocrinologist was unsuccessful; …

Family Stories Kristen and Matthew20My fiancé, Matt, was admitted to the hospital for chronic lung allograft rejection when I met him for the first time four-and-a-half years ago. I was his nurse and, unbeknownst to me at the time, I ended up transferring the love of my life to the ICU where he waited for his second, life-saving bilateral lung transplant …

Family Stories Danielle and Dan We starting dating at 19 years old, so when we married at age 30, we felt beyond ready to start trying to grow our family right away! Danielle was diagnosed with Stage IV endometriosis at age 28 so we began our process with the Fertility Centers of Illinois (FCI) right away to be proactive. As we …

Family Stories Brittany and JohnJohn and I have been married for six years and we have spent most of those six years trying to get pregnant. We got pregnant in 2012 and in 2015, but unfortunately both ended in miscarriages. We have had many tests done and unfortunately we don’t have any answers. There is nothing we want more than to …

Family Stories Nao and NicholasOur journey together started when I spotted this unbelievably stunning woman across a café. After mustering up some courage to talk with her, and despite a hilarious language barrier, we clicked immediately. Since our first encounter, it has been the best six years of my life. We have been able to support each other through hardships, all …

Family Stories Josie and EstenOur journey began a little over four years ago when, just before my 25th birthday, I had emergency open heart surgery to repair an aortic aneurysm and dissection. I was so young, and what happened was so severe that my cardiothoracic surgeon suspected a connective tissue disorder. After consultations with geneticists and cardiologists, what my surgeon suspected …

Family Stories Emilie and MarkOur beautiful five-year-old son, Finn, our beloved only child, passed away suddenly in March 2018. We were in the middle of our first IVF attempt when it happened. Finn was a bright, happy, loving little boy, and was so excited to be a big brother. Mark and I have struggled with infertility for years, and we are …

Family Stories Jeanette and BrianWe are Brian and Jeanette. We have been together for 13 years and married for 10. Over four years ago we started trying to have a baby and very quickly realized that we were going to need “extra” help conceiving. We started on a now four year infertility process that has included Clomid, IUI with injections, and …

Family Stories Casie and ClayGreetings from Indiana! We are Team Claysie (otherwise known as Clay & Casie.) We first met in high school and yes, we even went to prom together. After some “on again, off again” dating we decided to stay “on” permanently when we got married in 2004. Clay was a pastor for over 10 years and now owns …

Family Stories Amanda and MichaelAfter a few years of not getting pregnant on our own, we sought the help of a reproductive endocrinologist. We were still unsuccessful after going through several IUI procedures over a four year span, trying different medications and never missing an appointment. When we found out that the next step was IVF, we thought our dreams were …

Family Stories Lindsay and ShawnWe are Lindsay and Shawn, a young (ages 30 & 34), happily married couple of over eight years, who cannot wait to complete our family with a child. After trying to conceive on our own and with fertility treatments for four years, we realized adoption was our destiny. Our experience with infertility not only opened our eyes …

Family StoriesJuliana and AndrewEver since they married in 2012, the couple dreamed about their future family. Andrew is a high school principal and Juliana is an elementary school counselor. They couldn’t imagine a future without little ones of their own. “I always knew I wanted to be a dad,” says Andrew. “As soon as I met Juliana, I knew even …

Family StoriesKerri and JasonWhen Kerri and Jason Stallard married nine years ago, they knew they wanted to have a family. The pair hoped to have a biological child of their own, and then adopt a child. Jason’s father had grown up in an orphanage, and the couple had seen firsthand the effects of someone not having a family. “The idea …

Family Stories Colleen and NeilColleen and Neil began trying to conceive in 2010 without any concerns about infertility. It was a slow realization that something was not quite right. After numerous failed treatment cycles and complications, they decided to pursue adoption as the best route to have a family. “We were devastated and at a loss for how to move forward. …

Family Stories Ashley and Kate“We met in 2009. It really was love at first sight, and we were married shortly thereafter in 2012. We have created a beautiful life together, and are the parents of three furry children. Our home is one filled with love, warmth, silliness and unconditional acceptance. There is only one thing that was missing from our home …

Family Stories Peggy and Jake“I have worked as a Labor & Delivery Nurse for 15 years and I had helped countless babies come into this world. We want our chance to bring a child into our family with all the most love we have. We both have large, loving and extremely close extended families and friends, who have been praying for …

Family Stories Amber and Scott“We never imagined we would have trouble getting pregnant, but it has given us a glimpse into the struggle of many. It’s not a road that we walk alone, but it is filled with ups and downs that can feel lonely, and although we are thrilled for those around us that are having children, we can’t wait …

Family StoriesChristine and Brett“I have always wanted five children. Five – not four, not six, but five. We learned that without medical intervention, that number would likely be zero.” Christine and Brett tried for years to have a child before learning they would need IVF to help them make that dream a reality. But like many patients, they were stopped …

Family Stories Kristen and JoeThey started trying to have a baby in November, 2014. “You set out on this process to have a child and you naively assume that this is supposed to be the easy part.” It has been anything but and after years of fertility’s physical and emotional pain, Kristen and Joe knew IVF was their only option and …

Family Stories Lisa and David“My husband and I are both teachers, and we met teaching at the same school. Being teachers, we’ve always loved kids and knew that we wanted our own children. We tried to get pregnant after our first anniversary and it was a long road.” Lisa and David were recipients of a Coalition grant and as their journey …

Family Stories Gloria and VernonThey found love and marriage and just wanted to add a baby carriage. After 10 years as “awesome auntie and uncle,” Gloria and Vernon, U.S. Navy enlisted and reserve, respectively, were the perfect couple – but they needed more help to have a family than they could afford. Gloria and Vernon received a donated IVF cycle from …

Family StoriesSujata and Swanan After Sujata’s younger sister was diagnosed with breast cancer and found to be BRCA positive (the breast cancer gene), Sujata decided to undergo testing to see if she carried the BRCA mutation. Sujata was BRCA positive and while she did not have cancer, she was concerned about passing the gene on to her children. She wanted …

Family Stories Jenna and Jordan Their grant application said it all: “We want a baby more than anything. It ultimately comes down to whether or not we can afford IVF.” Jenna and Jordan were financially and emotionally tapped as two weeks after their wedding, Jordan was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had to undergo surgery and chemotherapy. Fortunately, he had cryopreserved …

Family StoriesKandice and Christopher”There has been a lot of hope and a lot of let downs,” Kandice and Chris shared. Chris’s daughter Leah was born with Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome (SLOS), a rare metabolic disorder that is genetically inherited. She is described as, “the love of our lives, and the best part of every day.” They struggled with the decision of how …

Family Stories Amanda and John“My husband and I are just like thousands of other couples who are experiencing infertility issues. I just assumed after we got married and planned everything out, next would be a baby. In the blink of an eye the plan I had always envisioned was potentially gone. It’s so scary and daunting yet I tell myself the …

Family StoriesNancy and FrankMy husband and I have been together for eight years and we have been trying to conceive for five of those years and counting. When we were not successful with any IUIs, we turned to our final option, IVF. The cost was great, and we were looking for options. When we met Dr. Rinehart, he listened intently …

Family Stories Lauren and Matt“Having children was always something my husband and I had talked about. But this dream appeared to be far reaching when I had some obstacles in my way. Our will to keep going and to have our baby kept us moving forward towards IVF, our best hope, despite the financial burden and the pre-IVF treatment needed.” Lauren …

Family Stories Mary Rose and LukeMary Rose and Luke are Indiana residents who were the recipients of a $10,000 Coalition Grant. “My husband Luke and I are so thrilled to announce that the embryo transfer funded by our 2017 Coalition Grant was successful, and we are now the proud parents of Lawrence Mark, born in May, 2018! Our four-year journey towards …

Family Stories Michelle and ErikMichelle is an English as a Second Language teacher at a high poverty, urban middle school and Erik is trained as a welder. “We have loved each other nearly half our lives and have many more years together. As with any solid relationship, we are a work in progress. In 2015, we quietly began the journey to …

Family Stories Manar and Thaer“I never thought I would have trouble having children. My sister had problems with her period and she got pregnant easily. As for me, I had no problems until I got married. It has been four years since I started infertility treatments and was told IVF is the best next step”. Financial constraints made it difficult for …

Family Stories Leigh and Phil“My name is Leigh; Phil and I have been married for a year and a half. Happily, we were planning our wedding in 2015 when I was diagnosed with a germ cell cancer in January 2015 and had surgery that was unable to preserve my fertility. I started chemo two weeks after surgery. My amazing fiancé, Phil, …

Family Stories Kristie and Petru My name is Kristie and my husband’s name is Petru. We have been married for thirteen years. We have struggled with infertility throughout our entire marriage. In 2016, we met with a reproductive endocrinologist who diagnosed the cause of our infertility struggles. The Coalition grant gives us so much hope for building our family. Kristie and …

Family Stories Katie and JoshAfter about three years of marriage, we had the feeling it was the right time to have a baby. However, month after month and year after year went by without a pregnancy. Eventually, we visited a reproductive endocrinologist and learned that IVF was the best option of having our own children. We applied for the Coalition Grant …

Family Stories Tracey and JohnTracey and John have always known they wanted a family, and unfortunately like many others, just assumed it would happen. They finally made the decision to see a reproductive endocrinologist in 2012 and began their infertility journey with Dr. Kevin Lederer at Fertility Centers of Illinois. Tracey was diagnosed with PCOS, and began treatment with IUI. This …

Family Stories Amanda and FrankyMy Name is Amanda Cardona and I am 34 years old, from Mexico. My husband is Franky Palma. He is 33 years old and is from Guatemala. We met each other in 2006 in an ESL program for learning English and became friends. We started to spend a lot of time together, our feelings for each other …

Family Stories Ann and HarryWe have been together six years, married in 2015 and started trying in November 2014 after we got engaged. We had a dream wedding, bought our dream house and now we want to do everything possible for our next dream: create a life. After a few years of trying, we decided to do preliminary testing with a …