Alex and James are Egg Freezing

Dear friends and family,

​As some of you may know, Alex and I have been working towards egg freezing. We are hoping to call upon your support, but first want to give insight into where this decision stems from, and provide information regarding our tentative plans:

​Children were not really part of the foreseeable future for either of us until we met each other. As we have been dating, I have gotten to really know that I want this woman to be a mother and the mother to my future children. She is kind, nurturing, intelligent, sweet, beautiful, patient, curious and funny. She is a super planner and knows how to create adventures packed with the most amount of fun and magic. She is a beam of joy and laughter with hands down the prettiest eyes and best smile. Fitting that her middle name is JOY.

Alex and I had a rocky start due to no fault of her own. I met Alex as I was starting a divorce and quitting my career, so although we have been dating for a year and a half, there are things we would like to accomplish before we get married and have children, i.e. finalization of my divorce, official career paths and financial security, and simply more time together to strengthen our relationship and create more memories together before children.

Unfortunately Mother Nature waits for no one. Fertility statistics negatively and drastically skew downward after 35. Success rates only continue to decrease from there, as age is the number one predictor of fertility. With Alex’s 35th birthday approaching in less than two months, we are feeling the stress of the time pressure, during a period that has unfortunately not been great for us financially. And with us wanting two kids, this adds even more time pressure. Egg freezing will allow us to take a substantial amount of that pressure off, focus on our goals and relationship, and hopefully set our future family up for greater success.

During the last 6+ months we have been exploring this as an option. Alex donating a portion of her eggs for financial assistance was unfortunately no longer possible due to age restrictions. We met with a local clinic, and although we liked the clinic and doctor, the price quoted for the procedure and medications was $15,000-$16,000+ for a single cycle, which seems to be the going rate in the U.S. and not accessible to us at this time.

After a lot of research, we decided to move forward with a reputable clinic called Newlife IVF Greece in Thessaloniki, where the procedure can be done for a fraction of the cost. The doctors we met with and any other staff we’ve interacted with so far have made us feel well taken care of and safe. Due to the clinic’s relative affordability, they are known for servicing clients from all over the world and all staff speak fluent English. We will also be assigned our own program coordinator from the international team who will not only provide assistance and logistical guidance regarding treatment, but also with getting to and around Greece.

Our current plan is to fly to Greece a few days after Alex’s birthday to begin treatment. We have been informed treatment will last 12-15 days (not including any recovery time), but that we should be able to travel around to other parts of Greece during the medication phase, albeit a few required check-ins and testing performed on some of those days, and seeing that everything is going smoothly. After flights, lodging, and traveling domestically to enjoy other cities in Greece, we would still spend far less having the procedure performed abroad than in the U.S.

We calculated the approximate cost for procedure and travel at $10,0000. The trip will be around 15-18 days for Alex, including travel and recovery time, and I am trying to be there for her as many days as work and finances will allow. We have not yet booked flights or other major ticket items due to a mix of logistics and finances, but hope to have that sorted in the next week or two.

We understand this is a major undertaking to bite off, but that’s why I’m reaching out to all of you. We by no means expect our goal amount to be fulfilled, but anything anyone can donate will help make this large life goal feel more achievable. Please also reach out if you would like any more information about egg freezing, the process, or our plans. Between both of us, we have soaked up a lot of information from webinars, multiple doctors, friends, and our own research.

Genuinely, anything big or small is GREATLY appreciated.

Love you all,

James Todd & Alex(andra) Joy Curtis