Patient Portal
From April 23rd through April 29th, the RRC staff, client and “alumni” will be honoring 2017s National Infertility Awareness Week. Sponsored by RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, this annual, week-long milestone is a way to focus on the spotlight in infertility – an issue that affects roughly 15% of American couples trying to get pregnant (that’s one out of every 8 couples!).
Listen UP! It’s time to spread the word about infertility
Infertility is one of those shadow topics. While it’s talked about (or not!) among the individuals, families and friends immediately affected by an infertility diagnosis, the rest of the culture sort of moves on, unaware of how much their support can make a difference.
Those us who live with infertility every day – whether that be as patients, doctors, or both – can shout, stomp and cry all we want, but we’re still in the minority. The more the public understands what infertility is, how often individuals and couples are affected, and how much their support matters, the more money and energy is channeled into effective research or donated in an effort to help those who can’t afford infertility diagnosis and treatment.
Another reason to spread the word? Many of the conditions that cause infertility are left out of the general medical narrative. When you start sharing the symptoms that led you to an infertility specialist (endometriosis, PCOS, irregular periods, etc.) it might be just what that friend, colleague or neighbor needs to hear to schedule their appointment with an OB to see if an infertility referral is in order.
There are all kinds of ways to participate in the 2017 infertility awareness week.
Tell your infertility story
Interested in telling your story? Stories are important. They cultivate awareness and compassion. They move those who might not have been moved otherwise. Find a way to tell your story and get others out there to Listen UP!
Write it out
You don’t have to do it verbally. Instead, write it and submit it online. Did that inspire you? Maybe you have an inner-blogger within. There are plenty of infertility blogs out there dedicated to just that, and you can add yours to the mix because no two stories are alike, and your story might be the one that resonates most with a fellow infertility patient who needed to hear yours. A blog is free, therapeutic and informative.
Listen to others’ stories (or tell your own)
Interested in listening to others’ stories? Visit the National Infertility Awareness Week Videos page and watch others share their experiences in heartfelt, creative – but always meaningful – ways. Some are happy, some are sad; some are stories from individuals or couples who are in the midst of their journeys, others are told by couples who’ve run the gauntlet and come out on the other side – holding their beautiful, healthy baby.
Get started by watching Tracy’s Coming Out Party – and you’ll be hooked from there. Memorable quote from the video: “If somebody tells you they’ve tried everything, don’t try to fix them, believe them …”
You can add your vlog to the collection by shooting a video and posting a YouTube video email to info@resolve.org.
Get social and generous with your sharing
Take all that momentum and get social, sharing all of the information that deserves to be seen and heard by others. Living with infertility is a tremendous weight and it’s not for the faint of heart. The fertility journey is challenging, it pushes you to your limits and – above all – it should be honored.
Infertility is not shameful; it is not something that fate or karma hands to you because you haven’t been your biggest, greatest self; it isn’t something that chose you over others; and it isn’t something that means you have to go through life feeling all alone.
Reach out to the infertility community – and to the world at large – and let’s make sure that others are Listening UP too! Are you located here in the Kansas City area? Visit the Kansas City Infertility Awareness Facebook page and start connecting with the larger infertility community.