Donor Conception:
Connecting through Conversations
Real life stories, workshops, Q&As with special guests
Saturday 21st May, 9.30am-4pm
Mary Ward House, 5-7 Tavistock Place, London
I’m delighted to host a day dedicated to forming connections through conversations as we explore using a donor to build your family
Recipient Parent Panel • ‘How Your Family Came To Be. What’s Your Story?’ Workshop with Fertility Counsellor Gerry McCluskey • Donor Conceived Panel • ‘All The Losses We Bear” Workshop with Perinatal Psychologist Julianne Boutaleb • Includes lunch & lots of connection opportunities
Tickets are now sold out but register for the waiting list to be the first to hear if any tickets become available



This whole day has been designed to help you navigate donor conception as a path to parenthood, at whatever stage you are at.
With many opportunities to make connections, listen to stories, ask questions and gain insights, my hope is that you will come away feeling better equipped and informed, comforted and less alone.
The day will be made up of four elements, all of which you’ll have the opportunity to attend. Between each of these sessions there will be lots of opportunities to meet each other as attendees as well as our speakers both over break times and lunch, which is provided for you.

Event Schedule
Recipient Parent Panel Stories and Q&A
Bringing to life experiences of those who have walked this path and are now parenting. Our panel will share their journey to parenthood through egg donation, sperm donation, double donation, surrogacy, as a mixed family. We’ll talk about their reflections and experiences parenting now, with the opportunity for you to ask questions.

Allie
Allie is originally from the US but now lives in the Netherlands. She’s a professor and proud mother of one miracle baby (MB) with another on the way all thanks to the generous gift of eggs from an old friend. After 5+ years of trying to conceive with multiple failed IVF and DEIVF attempts, Allie still pinches herself that her dream came true. She shares her experience using a known donor on instagram as @thebunlessoven.

Jocelyn
Jocelyn is a 42 year old solo mum to a little boy conceived through double donor IVF. In 2015 she decided to freeze her eggs as a back up plan until she found a partner, but discovered that she had premature ovarian failure and her fertility was ‘shockingly poor’. After a few fairly dismal egg freezing attempts, Jocelyn realised she faced a choice; wait for a relationship or get on and try for a baby by solo. Two years and two unsuccessful donor sperm IVF cycles later, she turned to egg donation, and a wonderful unknown woman helped her become a mum.

Kreena

David & Eleanor

Keeley

“How Your Family Came To Be: What’s Your Story?” Workshop
Gerry McCluskey
Led by fertility counsellor Gerry McCluskey. Offering the first steps in developing your family narrative for you, your child/ren and loved ones. A chance to reflect on the narrative you have of your own journey to parenthood and practical steps on how to begin to develop that story to share with your child and others who may need to know.
Donor Conceived Panel and Q&A
Bringing to life experiences of those who are donor conceived – we’ll hear their individual stories and consider what can we learn from their experiences to help us in raising our own donor conceived children.

Hayley

Freya

Alice

Lou

Natasha

“The Losses We Bear” Workshop
Julianne Boutaleb
Led by perinatal psychologist Julianne Boutaleb of Parenthood In Mind. Whilst donor conception offers hope to many wishing to become parents, it is also true that this path to parenthood is often considered after multiple losses. From fertility diagnosis through to genetic loss, this workshop will help you reflect on these experiences. The focus will be on helping you better understand and cope with the feelings that come with these losses, and the potential impacts on you, your partner (if partnered) and your DC child.
Venue:
Mary Ward House,
5-7 Tavistock Place,
London



Join the waitlist!
Tickets are now sold out but register for the waiting list to be the first to hear if any tickets become available
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