In December 2024 I was getting all of my preventative screenings done to prepare for an IVF transfer of one of our remaining and precious embryos. In an instant, after just finishing 1 year of breastfeeding/pumping for my 1 year-old daughter my world turned upside-down and everything came crashing down.

After 5 years of battling with infertility, I was diagnosed with invasive ductal carcinoma of my left breast at only 40 years old. My treatment plan to combat this cancer will include surgery, radiation therapy, chemotherapy, and finally a medication I have to take daily for many years to help prevent the cancer from coming back. While this will most likely save my life, it will also most likely will end my own personal IVF journey.

My husband and I consider these remaining embryos our children and believe they deserve the chance at life like their sisters were blessed to receive. While everyone is welcome to their own views, we do not believe in destroying them or donating them to science.

As a United States Navy veteran, I have been trained to work hard, overcome adversity, and think outside the box. Unfortunately we do not have anyone we know personally to help us with our current predicament and have begun to look into surrogacy through an agency. As I mourn the loss of carrying my own child again, I really only have this option. Costs for surrogacy are astronomical and typically range from $150,000 to over $200,000. While we have stable careers, we do not have the money required for it laying around.

I am throwing out this Hail Mary request to help my family give our embryos the chance they deserve. After years of being poked, prodded, and stuck for the sake of infertily, I am asking for some help while I take up another battle with breast cancer and all that it physically, emotionally, and financially entails. Please help give our little miracles a chance at life. Every little bit helps and if you can't do this monetarily please send up a prayer for us and pass our story along. Thank you for your time, consideration, and thoughts as we navigate these unchartered waters.

Casey