Meet a fertility superhero. Aprill Lane.
What? Did she really? Yes! Aprill suffered with infertility for many years. Now as a mother of 5, and currently 39, Aprill made an extraordinary decision to donate her own uterus so another woman can have the ability to conceive and carry a child. We are honored that Aprill took some time with us shortly after her surgery to share her thoughts about why she went ahead with this huge decision.
“This all started with the simple fact that once you’re involved in the infertile community, you’re always looking to give more back, because you get how hard this is, especially trying to do it alone. My first step was getting screened to be a surrogate but that wasn’t the best option for my family. Through the AGC Foundation, I’ve been aware of the trials around uterine transplants and what’s been needed. This was a concrete, physical way to help someone else have their family. With all the scans, testing, ultrasounds, I turned out to be a great candidate, in fact, the best vascular candidate that they’d ever seen. It turned out that we found out more about our own fertility journey than we knew before- and it was a relief and a joy to find out that was a uterine transplant candidate for someone with MRKH.”
-Aprill Lane
How do you give back when you’re exhausted.
This is not a rhetorical question, there is an answer.
Answer- pick something manageable for you. More on that later.
I’m sharing a story here of a woman who gave back to the infertile community with the largest gift that she could possibly think of- literally, a piece of herself.
Giving to the Infertile Community- Even If You’re Still In It
Aprill Lane was determined to have her family. Just like I was. Just like you are.
While she was undergoing her 10 IVF cycles, she started AGC, a not for profit organization offering financial support for fertility treatment cycles.
She sits on the Board of Directors of Resolve of New England.
That’s a lot. Plus a full-time job. Plus, the family she worked so hard to create. It would be considered a full plate for mostly anyone, yes?
For Aprill, she knew, deep down in the furthest recesses of her heart, that she had more to give.
Last week, Aprill underwent surgery to donate her uterus to a recipient who was born with MRKH, a rare genetic disorder resulting in a woman’s uterus to be either “underdeveloped or missing”. Aprill took part in a trial at Baylor University, as one of only 11 living uterine donors.
Here’s her story.
Aprill goes on to say, “Everybody has the ability to give back in some capacity- find your own strength and talent. It may be emotional support (volunteering for a support group) financial support (donating to a not for profit) or speaking up in the advocacy arena.”
Our call to action is simple:
What RMA of Connecticut is asking (what I am personally asking) is to choose one of these (or come up with your own!)
If you have children, through fertility treatment or not, make a donation that equals the age of your children to AGC (or Nest Egg Foundation or Resolve Org).
If you are still in the midst of fertility treatment, make a donation that feels significant to you. One idea is your birthday number or another number that is meaningful.
If you prefer, donate time or volunteer to host a support group.
Another option is to speak up about your personal story or your opinion on the state of infertility as a whole- be an advocate (this can be done anonymously).
I’m taking Aprill’s message to heart, which is where it came from- her heart. All of us can do something. Me, I’m committing to donating money to 2, not for profit fertility organizations that are near and dear to me that I’ve not donated to before, the Nest Egg Foundation and AGC Scholarships.
What will you choose to give back to the infertile community?