Help Juli & Matt adopt a baby
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When we got married 15 years ago, Matt and I knew that we would have children one day. With each niece or nephew (our newphew John is pictured above) that came into our family, we grew more and more certain that we wanted to start a family. One of six children, I knew what it felt like to be surrounded by family, and I wanted to give that to Matt, an only child who always wanted a sibling.
But, then it happened. It started as a sharp pain in my side, like a knife suddenly twisting into my stomach. I doubled over in pain, wondering what was happening. He didn’t say it at the time, but Matt thought I might be pregnant.
A few weeks later, however, I received the diagnosis: cervical cancer.
A week after the birth of my nephew Noah, I had a hysterectomy. The feeling of failure permeated every ounce of my being. Having children is the most basic privilege of being a woman, and that right had been stripped from me in an instant.
I refocused my life on my marriage and my work. Having experienced the devastation of cancer, I chose to focus my message therapy practice on helping women with cancer and other chronic illnesses. While I find my work fulfilling, the longing to be a mother has not disappeared.
I have been cancer free for over eleven years. Matt and I waited the five-year, post-cancer period that most agencies require for a potential adoption. When we began to explore our options, we learned that the process is prohibitively expensive. My cancer history also limits our options to certain countries, making the process more complicated.
When we heard about GoFundMe, Matt and I felt hope for the time in nine years. While we can’t ask anyone for the $40,000 it costs to adopt a child, we feel comfortable asking friends and family to donate something small. Any amount will help set us on our way to bringing home a baby, and starting a life as the family that we once imagined.
Thank you!
But, then it happened. It started as a sharp pain in my side, like a knife suddenly twisting into my stomach. I doubled over in pain, wondering what was happening. He didn’t say it at the time, but Matt thought I might be pregnant.
A few weeks later, however, I received the diagnosis: cervical cancer.
A week after the birth of my nephew Noah, I had a hysterectomy. The feeling of failure permeated every ounce of my being. Having children is the most basic privilege of being a woman, and that right had been stripped from me in an instant.
I refocused my life on my marriage and my work. Having experienced the devastation of cancer, I chose to focus my message therapy practice on helping women with cancer and other chronic illnesses. While I find my work fulfilling, the longing to be a mother has not disappeared.
I have been cancer free for over eleven years. Matt and I waited the five-year, post-cancer period that most agencies require for a potential adoption. When we began to explore our options, we learned that the process is prohibitively expensive. My cancer history also limits our options to certain countries, making the process more complicated.
When we heard about GoFundMe, Matt and I felt hope for the time in nine years. While we can’t ask anyone for the $40,000 it costs to adopt a child, we feel comfortable asking friends and family to donate something small. Any amount will help set us on our way to bringing home a baby, and starting a life as the family that we once imagined.
Thank you!
Organizer
Matt Druzbacky
Organizer
Hudson, WI