Hello,

We are Paola Pagan and Cristhopher Perez. We’ve been together for over 10 years and want nothing more than to grow our family. However, for the past six years, we’ve been struggling with infertility.

I (Paola) have Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and Endometriosis, both of which significantly contribute to my infertility. In 2020, we began working with a fertility clinic to take the next steps toward starting our family. After undergoing all the initial testing, ultrasounds, blood work, semen analysis, HSG tests, etc we discovered that my right fallopian tube was blocked which didn’t allow any eggs/sperm to travel through should I ovulate from said side.

During the weeks long processes of completing all test, I became pregnant. Unfortunately, that pregnancy ended in a miscarriage at 8 weeks. My body was unable to miscarry naturally, and I required a D&C procedure. Just two months after that, I became pregnant again, but sadly, that pregnancy also ended in a miscarriage at the 8-week mark.

The emotional toll these losses took on me, both physically and mentally were unbearable. We were only 24 and 26, we still had so much time left so we decided to pause our fertility journey to focus on other aspects of our life. Over the past five years, we bought a home, traveled, started new careers, and got married. All while still quietly trying to conceive naturally every month, without any success.

Earlier this year, my health began to decline. My periods became so excruciatingly painful that they landed me in the ER. I could barely get out of bed and was doubled over in pain. A day before my 29th birthday, I returned to the ER because the pain had become unmanageable. That’s when they discovered a cyst on my ovary measuring 5cm.

After following up with my gynecologist, we learned that in just six weeks, the cyst had tripled in size to over 14 cm and another 5cm cyst had formed on my other ovary. Bloodwork showed elevated CA125 levels, raising concerns about possible ovarian cancer. I was referred to an oncologist and scheduled for immediate surgery.

Within two weeks, I underwent laparoscopic surgery. My left ovary and right fallopian tube were removed along with multiple endometriosis lesions. The cyst on my right ovary was drained (not removed) in an effort to preserve my last remaining ovary and the eggs within it. Thankfully, by the grace of god biopsy came back negative for any signs of cancer.

It became clear however that IVF would be our only path forward if we wanted to have children. Two months post-surgery, I returned to the fertility clinic, where we received more difficult news: a polyp had formed in my uterus, and the cyst on my remaining ovary was growing back.

Our only option now is to move forward with IVF—and unfortunately, our health insurance covers none of it. Not a single dollar. The cost of just one IVF cycle is $20,000+ and multiple cycles may be necessary.

In the coming weeks, I’ll undergo another surgery to remove the uterine polyp. Because of the risk of losing my last ovary, my doctor strongly recommends not removing the growing cyst. I will begin IVF with the cyst still present and hope for the best possible outcome.

We wanted to go through this process silently with just the support of our immediate family. However, we thought we had more time. We thought we could save for a year or two and then begin the process. But medically, the best option for my health is to eventually remove my last remaining ovary. My fertility window is closing and our best chance is now. Before that happens, we hope to go through IVF to stimulate follicle growth and retrieve as many eggs as possible hoping for enough to transfer and freeze for future use.

We’ve already been deeply moved by the kindness and support of those around us, and we created this GoFundMe for anyone who feels called to help. Any and every donation is one step closer to our baby. Whether it’s a donation to help cover the costs, sharing our story, or simply keeping us in your prayers we are incredibly grateful.

Thank you for being a part of our journey.

“Let your faith be bigger than your fears”

With love,


Paola & Cristhopher