Fighting MS, Chasing Parenthood.

Help Mandi & Doug Build the Family They've Fought So Hard For

Mandi and Doug’s love story began back in 2012 on a college campus—full of laughter, promise, and dreams of a future together. But just a year into their relationship, life took a sharp turn. After experiencing strange symptoms like blurred vision and fatigue, Mandi was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) in June of 2013, at 20 years of age.

Despite the diagnosis, Mandi pushed forward with strength and purpose. She earned her degree in Public and Community Health and began a career helping low- and no-income families access critical medical services—quietly fighting her own battle with a progressive and debilitating disease.

Doug, devoted and steady, built a career in law enforcement and now serves his community as a police officer. Together, they’ve supported one another through challenges most couples never imagine.

A Long, Difficult Journey with MS

As the years went on, Mandi’s condition worsened. By 2019, she had lost motor function in her legs and feet and could no longer drive. She transitioned to remote work and began using a wheelchair to navigate safely. Between 2020 and 2023, her MS continued to progress—ultimately impacting her arms, hands, and vision. She is now legally blind and, in late 2023, was forced to step away from work completely due to the severity of her symptoms.

Through it all, Doug has remained by her side, working full-time while caring for Mandi and managing the demands of daily life.

Mandi and Doug want to take a moment to express their deepest gratitude to Dr. Stephen Krieger and the entire team at the Corinne Goldsmith Dickinson Center for Multiple Sclerosis at Mount Sinai in New York City. Their expertise, compassion, and unwavering support have helped Mandi navigate every stage of this disease.

Marriage & The Dream of Parenthood

Mandi and Doug were married in September 2020 and soon began family planning. However, insurance complications delayed the necessary change from a medication unsafe for pregnancy (Gilenya) to one that would make conception possible (Ocrevus). That switch didn’t happen until 2023.

By late 2024, Mandi's MS had progressed even further. After reviewing her condition—including reduced abdominal and diaphragm control—her medical team determined that pregnancy would pose serious health risks.

Why Surrogacy Is Their Best—and Safest—Option

After extensive consultation with their fertility specialists, Mandi and Doug learned that gestational surrogacy is their safest and most hopeful path to becoming parents. With genetic testing confirming no inherited risks, the only barrier left is one that love alone cannot overcome: cost.

The Cost of Surrogacy

Surrogacy is a beautiful and life-changing option—but it comes with a steep financial burden. From fertility treatments and embryo transfer to agency fees, surrogate care, and legal work, the full cost is estimated at over $100,000.

For a couple living with the financial strain of chronic illness and relying on a single income, this cost is simply out of reach without help.

How You Can Help

Every donation will go directly toward:

• IVF and fertility procedures

• Surrogacy agency and legal fees

• Medical care and monitoring for the surrogate

• Pregnancy and delivery-related expenses

Your support brings Mandi and Doug one step closer to holding their baby in their arms.

Thank You for Being Part of Their Journey

Mandi and Doug have endured more than most couples could imagine—yet they remain hopeful, resilient, and grounded in love. This final step, building the family they’ve dreamed of, is one they can’t take alone.

If you’re able, please consider donating or sharing their story. Every act of generosity—big or small—helps build something truly extraordinary: a future filled with love, laughter, and the miracle of new life.

Thank you from the bottom of their hearts.

With love and gratitude,

Mandi & Doug