After years of searching, I found my birth family

My name is Theodora. I found out at the age of 9 that I was sold on the blackmarket in Greece in 1981 through a doctored that was selling children to parents that could not have any.

Some birth mothers were told their babies had died and were sold instead.

But some also willingly sold their babies for money and on birth certificates the adopted parents would be named as the biological so no trace would be found. This still happens today.

In my case, when I was born and taken by the midwife as I had an issue with my heart. The birth mother never concented to selling me. So I was virtually taken and given to my family here in Australia who travelled to Greece in 1981 to get a baby.

As a young girl I always felt very different. Like I never belonged.

Although my loving parents that bought me were good parents and gave me the world, I still felt empty. Which lead to so many other issues in my life growing up.

When I was 15 I would put my name on various platforms to try and get some sort of answers., with no leads at all.

But I still searched for answers and still wanted to try anything I could, but the only thing I could do was just hope.

I never stopped hoping. I am now 43.

In 2018 when my 3 year old son got sick with cancer I decided to do a dna test as I had no idea what I carried health wise and what I passed on.

His cancer could have been my fault .

And genetically I do have cancers in my DNA.

In 2020 I received a match for a full blood sister called Maria who still lives in Greece.

We still talk and have for 6 years, but I still have not met her .

On the eve of our Greek Holly day St Mary (Αγία Παναγία) on the 13th of August, I had another match to a sister and jave since FB chatted with her, technology has come far since I was 15, and she is still with my birth mother who is 75.

I am a gypsie Roma and I have been brought up Greek and have finally after all my life of wondering and searching for answers, found my birth family and really want to meet them. I am still very overwhelmed and can't believe I found them. It astounds me that I never gave up and I really need help to go to Greece. I am the only sibling that was taken overseas.

I don't know if I would ever have the funds to go to Greece to meet anyone that I have longed for since I was little, so I thought I would try and get help from community and people.

I am only asking for return airfares just so I can go.

Even if I can't stay for long, I would really like to see and meet my family and hug them and not feel alone any longer but also see where I belong.

I felt that a go fund me was really selfish that I am asking for help as there are soany worthy cuases then mine, and I didn't know how people would react to this fund for me, but I am putting it out there, as for the first time in my life at 42 years old, I feel as though I took my first breathe of air by finally finding who I am and where I come from.

I really hope you can help.

Thank you for your time.

Theodora.