Abseiling to thank the Fertility Unit for their care

One of our amazing fundraisers is taking on The Big QMC Abseil to thank the fertility unit for their support and care.

31 year old Stacey learnt of her infertility after six years of trying for a baby with her husband Darren. She spoke to us about why she wants to thank the hospital for their care:

Some people dream of being a pilot, a doctor, a vet and so on, but I’ve always dreamed of being a Mummy. Everyone has a fear of something and my biggest fear is that it wouldn’t come true. The thought of not being to grow a baby in my tummy, feel it move around inside and going through the general excitement of pregnancy. But I’m still waiting for my turn.

The worse thing about infertility is that you can’t guarantee that fertility treatment will work. That is a general misconception; fertility treatment doesn’t always result in pregnancy. You commit yourself to gruelling and time consuming treatment but you aren’t guaranteed a baby at the end of it.

When we moved from Derby to Nottingham, we had been trying for over four years and our new GP decided to refer us to the Fertility Unit at QMC and we attended our first appointment in February 2020. Before our first appointment, I wasn’t aware that QMC had a Fertility Unit. It’s one of those units that’s so small and you don’t know it exists until you actually need it.

After some initial test, I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and even though I have many health conditions and disabilities this was the hardest diagnosis I heard. We were supported highly by the team there and in particular Nikki the Fertility Sister who immediately made me feel so much better about our infertility struggles. She spoke with such warmth and care, listened to us and made me feel less angry at the world.

When Covid-19 hit, we had to delay things which destroyed me as I was starting to get hopeful. But when Nikki phoned me and reassured me that we hadn’t been forgotten and that treatment could resume, I was reassured and my treatment resumed quickly. We’ve so far tried two different types of treatments and sadly no luck yet.

My infertility journey is still on-going, but has paused recently as I undergo surgery for other issues, but I want to continue to support the infertility community and share my story.

Infertility is different for everybody, and affects each couple and person in a different way. No single person suffering with infertility wants to be treated differently, they just want their feelings acknowledged. More people need to open up about infertility, so that infertility receives the attention it needs.

Later this year I am taking on the Big QMC Abseil because I want to support the Fertility Unit in continuing to help other patients in the future, and to thank them for being a part of my long and painful journey.