Katie and Augie

Hi, my name is Katie and I was diagnosed with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) six years ago. Since my diagnosis, I have been doing a lot of research and trying everything that I could to conceive naturally due to the high costs for fertility treatments and adoption. I’ve tried medications like clomid and metformin, to supplements like myo & d-chiro inositol, and diet and exercising. Six years went by and we still hadn’t conceived so I decided it was time to see a fertility doctor. They did an ultrasound and it showed there weren’t any blockages in my tubes, but unfortunately my ovaries weren’t releasing any eggs. To make matters worse, my husband’s sperm sample showed low motility and abnormal morphology. My doctor suggested that IVF with ICSI would be our best option to conceive biological children.

Unfortunately, I found out that my insurance wouldn’t cover any of the costs associated with IVF. Due to no insurance coverage and our current financial situation, we couldn’t move forward. My heart was completely broken, but I knew that we wanted to become parents more than anything, so I refused to give up. That’s when I decided I should try to apply for a medical loan and grants to help come up with the funds for IVF. We were denied for the medical loan so I was praying we would be accepted for one of the grants I applied for.

When I got the call from the Life Foundation to tell me that I was selected as a recipient, I felt like I had won the lottery. I knew in that moment that God heard my prayers, saw my tears, and knew how much I had been struggling. Even if we’re not able to become pregnant with IVF, we still plan on having foster children.

We will do whatever it takes because we know in our hearts how badly we want to be parents and we couldn’t be more grateful for this opportunity! To all the women and men out there struggling with infertility, know that you are not alone and that the worst thing you can do is give up. I never thought when I was little playing with my dolls and pretending to be a mom that it would be this difficult to have children. But it’s incredible how much support we have received throughout this journey and how much stronger we are because of it. We will all get through this and achieve our dreams of becoming moms and dads--No matter what it takes! Good luck and baby dust to all!

Katie and Augie are recipients of a donated IVF cycle from our Partner Practice, Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago. They welcomed their baby boy, Ashton, in 2020!