Hoping for Baby Hammond: Our IVF Journey
Donation protected
Organized by Becky Parks and Lauren Simpson on behalf of Taylor and Shane Hammond
Taylor and Shane are fighting a heart wrenching battle with infertility. When Taylor and Shane married six years ago, these two smart, athletic, incredibly loving newlyweds knew they wanted to start a family as soon as possible. And how they have tried! They are part of the 1 in 8 that face infertility, and need our help.
This journey has been so trying, both physically and emotionally. Only those who have carried the weight of infertility know the devastation, heartbreak and uncertainty it brings. Now, they are about to begin their IVF journey to hope for Baby Hammond. These two are so deserving of the opportunity to be parents, and to love and grow a family. It has been so painful to watch them walk this journey knowing how much good they consistently put into the world, and how deeply they want a child. Taylor and Shane have given the very best of themselves, with great love and care, to their communities, friends, players and students, colleagues, and families. They need our love and care now.
Friends and family, their IVF journey comes with an immense financial burden. While this opportunity is priceless to Taylor and Shane, it does have a price. Medication, egg retrieval, embryo testing, storage, transfer, and monitoring all cost so much. That’s just one round of IVF. There is no guarantee that the first round will be successful. They have no insurance coverage for IVF. When Tay and Shane shared the plan for this next step in this journey with us, and the unconceivable stress of not knowing how they would be able to financially move forward with this treatment, we knew we had to do something to help. We are hoping you will offer up both emotional and financial support. We need to raise $30,000 as soon as possible.
We believe in miracles, and we also believe that all the good Taylor and Shane have put out in the world will come full circle when they need it the most. We know Tay and Shane are so anxious to ask for help from outside sources, but we know that together as a community we can make this happen. If you can help monetarily, we will be eternally grateful. We know current times are troubling and uncertain for many, so if you are only able to share this page and send positive thoughts and prayers, we are thankful for that, too. Please join us in helping make Taylor and Shane’s dream of finally starting their family come true, and HOPE FOR BABY HAMMOND.
One Cycle Cost Breakdown
Retrieval - $13,500
Medications - $8,000
Embryo Genetic Testing - $2,000
1st Embryo Transfer - $4,400.00
2nd Embryo Transfer (if needed) - $4,400
Embryo Storage - $410/year
Other Fertility Related Expenses (Fertility Supplements, Acupuncture, etc.) - $250/month
TBD- Other Needed Medical Testing + Procedures
Estimated total cost: $30,000.00
As we walk alongside Taylor and Shane through their infertility journey we hold them close to our hearts and offer as much love and support as possible, however it would be impossible to know what living their journey is like. Taylor and Shane have courageously shared their story below in their own words.
Our Story:
Since we were married six years ago, we have often been asked “when will you have kids?” or “don’t you want to start a family?”. We’ve forced a smile or anxiously laughed them off saying “one day”. The thing is we have both always wanted to have children of our own, and desperately want to grow our family. We have been trying for what feels like forever.
Throughout our adult lives we have worked in many different professions that revolve around children, whether coaching, teaching or caregiving. We have cheered from the sidelines, and shared in such joy, as family members and close friends announced new pregnancies and welcomed their little miracles into the world, yet our hearts have been heavy with the sadness of knowing we haven’t been able to do so. We’ve been painstakingly trying to make this happen for us for over 3 years and have had our hearts broken over and over again every month. We are part of the 1 in 8 couples that goes through infertility.
After trying for over 6 months to conceive on our own, our doctor shared that it’s normal for couples our age to try for up to a year to get pregnant, and that “it was sure to happen soon.” When that year came and went with no baby in sight we wondered what might be wrong with us. Our doctor ran us through a battery of tests and procedures to try to figure out what could be causing so many failed attempts to get pregnant, and as the second year passed, with much more heartache and weariness, the experts could still find no identifiable causes. We were medically diagnosed with Unexplained Infertility. We were flooded with confusion, anger, and complete devastation. We were referred to a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) who gave us a 1-3% chance of ever conceiving on our own.
We would now undergo fertility treatments to hopefully make our dream of becoming parents come true. Our first step would be a medicated IUI (Intrauterine Insemination). Baseline testing began with ultrasounds, blood work, and genetic testing, and we were so excited to finally have a real shot at becoming pregnant. Then, unexpectedly, we were informed that our first IUI would have to be postponed for a month. Finally just as the waiting period was coming to an end, the COVID-19 pandemic hit in full force grinding all fertility treatments to a halt. Our world was rocked with overwhelming sadness when our journey to building our family was put on hold indefinitely when our clinic temporarily closed their doors. While we waited and waited, we worked hard to keep our bodies and minds as healthy as possible while everything around us was so out of control. Waiting for our clinic to reopen, we were allowed to start two medicated and timed intercourse cycles, which unfortunately, were unsuccessful.
We were beyond overjoyed when our clinic was reopened three months later, and couldn’t wait to get back to all the ultrasounds, blood draws, and finally our first IUI! The excitement soon turned into sadness after not one, but three failed IUIs. After these three failed IUIs, our RE sat us down to have a very frank conversation. Attempting any additional IUIs would not be in our best interest, and that IVF was now our recommended treatment. Before we knew it we were having a financial consultation for IVF, learning that all fees must be paid up front prior to starting our protocol. This news was shocking and intensely overwhelming.
Over the ten years we’ve spent as a couple, we have experienced many ups and downs and made it through together as a team. And although the past three years have been excruciatingly painful, the team stands strong. We will never give up on each other, or our dream of having a family. So here we are, after 3 emotionally exhausting years of trying, 41 “no’s”, 2 cancelled treatments due to COVID-19, 2 failed medicated + timed cycles, 3 failed medicated IUI’s, multiple cysts, countless tests, procedures, blood draws and ultrasounds, over $10,000 spent preparing for our first round of IVF.
Our two very battered, but beating hearts are still pumping and fighting for our biggest dream. We will NEVER give up. We couldn’t be more excited, and terrified, to start this new leg of our journey. Along the way we’ve been reminded just how incredibly lucky we are to have this opportunity and to have such a supportive group of family and friends. Over the years we have surrounded ourselves with amazing people from so many different communities, and we are bearing our souls to you all now. We are so incredibly grateful for your love and support. We pray that when our time comes, and we finally have our baby in our arms, that we can share the story of how our community came together to help bring our little miracle into this world.
Thank you for filling us up with so much hope for Baby Hammond.
With so much love and gratitude,
Taylor and Shane
Taylor and Shane are fighting a heart wrenching battle with infertility. When Taylor and Shane married six years ago, these two smart, athletic, incredibly loving newlyweds knew they wanted to start a family as soon as possible. And how they have tried! They are part of the 1 in 8 that face infertility, and need our help.
This journey has been so trying, both physically and emotionally. Only those who have carried the weight of infertility know the devastation, heartbreak and uncertainty it brings. Now, they are about to begin their IVF journey to hope for Baby Hammond. These two are so deserving of the opportunity to be parents, and to love and grow a family. It has been so painful to watch them walk this journey knowing how much good they consistently put into the world, and how deeply they want a child. Taylor and Shane have given the very best of themselves, with great love and care, to their communities, friends, players and students, colleagues, and families. They need our love and care now.
Friends and family, their IVF journey comes with an immense financial burden. While this opportunity is priceless to Taylor and Shane, it does have a price. Medication, egg retrieval, embryo testing, storage, transfer, and monitoring all cost so much. That’s just one round of IVF. There is no guarantee that the first round will be successful. They have no insurance coverage for IVF. When Tay and Shane shared the plan for this next step in this journey with us, and the unconceivable stress of not knowing how they would be able to financially move forward with this treatment, we knew we had to do something to help. We are hoping you will offer up both emotional and financial support. We need to raise $30,000 as soon as possible.
We believe in miracles, and we also believe that all the good Taylor and Shane have put out in the world will come full circle when they need it the most. We know Tay and Shane are so anxious to ask for help from outside sources, but we know that together as a community we can make this happen. If you can help monetarily, we will be eternally grateful. We know current times are troubling and uncertain for many, so if you are only able to share this page and send positive thoughts and prayers, we are thankful for that, too. Please join us in helping make Taylor and Shane’s dream of finally starting their family come true, and HOPE FOR BABY HAMMOND.
One Cycle Cost Breakdown
Retrieval - $13,500
Medications - $8,000
Embryo Genetic Testing - $2,000
1st Embryo Transfer - $4,400.00
2nd Embryo Transfer (if needed) - $4,400
Embryo Storage - $410/year
Other Fertility Related Expenses (Fertility Supplements, Acupuncture, etc.) - $250/month
TBD- Other Needed Medical Testing + Procedures
Estimated total cost: $30,000.00
As we walk alongside Taylor and Shane through their infertility journey we hold them close to our hearts and offer as much love and support as possible, however it would be impossible to know what living their journey is like. Taylor and Shane have courageously shared their story below in their own words.
Our Story:
Since we were married six years ago, we have often been asked “when will you have kids?” or “don’t you want to start a family?”. We’ve forced a smile or anxiously laughed them off saying “one day”. The thing is we have both always wanted to have children of our own, and desperately want to grow our family. We have been trying for what feels like forever.
Throughout our adult lives we have worked in many different professions that revolve around children, whether coaching, teaching or caregiving. We have cheered from the sidelines, and shared in such joy, as family members and close friends announced new pregnancies and welcomed their little miracles into the world, yet our hearts have been heavy with the sadness of knowing we haven’t been able to do so. We’ve been painstakingly trying to make this happen for us for over 3 years and have had our hearts broken over and over again every month. We are part of the 1 in 8 couples that goes through infertility.
After trying for over 6 months to conceive on our own, our doctor shared that it’s normal for couples our age to try for up to a year to get pregnant, and that “it was sure to happen soon.” When that year came and went with no baby in sight we wondered what might be wrong with us. Our doctor ran us through a battery of tests and procedures to try to figure out what could be causing so many failed attempts to get pregnant, and as the second year passed, with much more heartache and weariness, the experts could still find no identifiable causes. We were medically diagnosed with Unexplained Infertility. We were flooded with confusion, anger, and complete devastation. We were referred to a Reproductive Endocrinologist (RE) who gave us a 1-3% chance of ever conceiving on our own.
We would now undergo fertility treatments to hopefully make our dream of becoming parents come true. Our first step would be a medicated IUI (Intrauterine Insemination). Baseline testing began with ultrasounds, blood work, and genetic testing, and we were so excited to finally have a real shot at becoming pregnant. Then, unexpectedly, we were informed that our first IUI would have to be postponed for a month. Finally just as the waiting period was coming to an end, the COVID-19 pandemic hit in full force grinding all fertility treatments to a halt. Our world was rocked with overwhelming sadness when our journey to building our family was put on hold indefinitely when our clinic temporarily closed their doors. While we waited and waited, we worked hard to keep our bodies and minds as healthy as possible while everything around us was so out of control. Waiting for our clinic to reopen, we were allowed to start two medicated and timed intercourse cycles, which unfortunately, were unsuccessful.
We were beyond overjoyed when our clinic was reopened three months later, and couldn’t wait to get back to all the ultrasounds, blood draws, and finally our first IUI! The excitement soon turned into sadness after not one, but three failed IUIs. After these three failed IUIs, our RE sat us down to have a very frank conversation. Attempting any additional IUIs would not be in our best interest, and that IVF was now our recommended treatment. Before we knew it we were having a financial consultation for IVF, learning that all fees must be paid up front prior to starting our protocol. This news was shocking and intensely overwhelming.
Over the ten years we’ve spent as a couple, we have experienced many ups and downs and made it through together as a team. And although the past three years have been excruciatingly painful, the team stands strong. We will never give up on each other, or our dream of having a family. So here we are, after 3 emotionally exhausting years of trying, 41 “no’s”, 2 cancelled treatments due to COVID-19, 2 failed medicated + timed cycles, 3 failed medicated IUI’s, multiple cysts, countless tests, procedures, blood draws and ultrasounds, over $10,000 spent preparing for our first round of IVF.
Our two very battered, but beating hearts are still pumping and fighting for our biggest dream. We will NEVER give up. We couldn’t be more excited, and terrified, to start this new leg of our journey. Along the way we’ve been reminded just how incredibly lucky we are to have this opportunity and to have such a supportive group of family and friends. Over the years we have surrounded ourselves with amazing people from so many different communities, and we are bearing our souls to you all now. We are so incredibly grateful for your love and support. We pray that when our time comes, and we finally have our baby in our arms, that we can share the story of how our community came together to help bring our little miracle into this world.
Thank you for filling us up with so much hope for Baby Hammond.
With so much love and gratitude,
Taylor and Shane
Organizer and beneficiary
Lauren Simpson
Organizer
Atlanta, GA
Taylor Hammond
Beneficiary