Gemma and Stuarts IVF Journey

Me and Stuart met as teenagers at Young Farmers, always just friends. After many a Young Farmers party, we grew up and went our separate ways.

I have always wanted a baby, I’m a nursery nurse and love Children, during my early thirties I tried for a baby with my then husband. After being unsuccessful I went for tests and found out I had early ovarian failure and early onset menopause, and had to start taking HRT. The Doctors told me to get my BMI down to 29 and this might help our chances of conceiving. With a lot of hard work, I lost the weight and got healthier. Sadly, we still didn’t get pregnant and we decided to go our separate ways.

During lockdown, I reconnected with Stuart on Facebook and started to chat, we met for a socially distanced dog walk as friends and immediately it was like no time had passed. Our meet ups as friends turned into dating. When I told Stuart about my fertility issues he said he would stand by me no matter what, that’s when I knew he was the one.

I started running to stay fit, challenging myself like I’d never done before, I was determined that my health wouldn’t get in the way of my and Stuart trying for a baby together.

I had various appointment with Doctors to try and find out more about my changes of conceiving, being passed between doctors, having appointments cancelled whilst I was sat in the waiting room and even being told different things by specialists about wait lists and was I was and wasn’t entitled to. After being passed around and having to complain about the confusing information I was told I was at the bottom of a two-year waiting list for IVF, one which I should have already been on but had been lost in the chaos of things post Covid. Turning 40 this Summer I knew I wouldn’t get to the top of the list before I was deemed not able to have IVF on the NHS.

This year me and Stuart got engaged, we live in a lovely house with our dog and rabbit and are so thankful to have reconnected and found each other.

We would love to be parents and to become a family. We know that to have a chance at making it happen we will need to pay for private IVF. It’s a long and difficult journey ahead but one that we hope you can help and support us with.

We have already raised 50% of the cost but anything you could give to help us achieve the remaining would be so appreciated!

Thank You! Gemma and Stuart xxx