“When you stand and share your story in an empowering way, your story will heal you and your story will heal somebody else.”
― Iyanla Vanzant
Some of the most influential people in the Shady Grove Fertility community aren’t the physicians, nursing team, or staff. It’s you, our patients. As a former or current patient, you have a unique opportunity to help and raise awareness for the one out of eight couples struggling with infertility because you have experienced it. You know the emotions that can accompany not knowing where to go, when to get started, how to keep going, or what to expect. Your fertility story is unique and more valuable than you might realize.
What we have learned over the past 25 years and 40,000 babies born is that one the most valuable assets for our patients is community. Having a community of hope and a legion of encouragers—even who just validate that you are not alone in this struggle—as many of you already know, can sometimes make all the difference in someone’s experience. Who better to learn from than someone who has walked in your shoes?
This community is built by our patients who are open about their fertility story and struggles in order to help others experience the dreams they, too, at one point thought were impossible. We have hundreds of brave patients who have courageously shared their story, some on our website, others on a national level, such as Yunis’ and Andrea and Sandi.
The Yunis Family Fertility Story
The Yunis family joined the SGF family this past year, and their story has touched thousands of people.
After being diagnosed with unexplained infertility, and then male factor infertility, the Yunis family decided to share their experience with the Washington Post Magazine. They never realized the impact it would have on the people around them.
Looking back, the Yunis’ still marvel at the impact sharing their story made. People started sharing their own fertility struggles with them. Stephen, who, like so many men, hadn’t been able to discuss his condition with friends and coworkers, was suddenly a source of support. When one of his coworkers underwent fertility treatment, Stephen was a shoulder to lean on and a much-needed sounding board.
Andrea and Sandi’s Fertility Story
The same thing happened for Andrea and Sandi. The support they found through each other became a bond stronger than they ever imagined, changing both of their lives.
A few years after Andrea started trying to have a baby she discovered that she had polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Going through fertility treatment was difficult for Andrea, so after some encouragement from her husband, Mark, she decided to seek support on the Shady Grove Fertility Facebook page. Andrea quickly connected with a woman named Sandi. Sandi and her husband, Philip, were also patients at SGF and happened to live close to Andrea and Mark. The women decided to meet for dinner and became fast friends, supporting each other through their treatment, and finally to the news that Andrea and Mark were pregnant with twins. Sandi was ecstatic for her friend, even through her failed cycles, and the two continued to grow closer and closer.
Shortly before the birth of Andrea’s children, Sandi was told that in order to become a mother, she would need a gestational carrier. Sandi shared this news with Andrea, who immediately offered to be Sandi’s gestational carrier.
Sandi and Andrea’s story of friendship and courage has been shared nationally, on NBC’s Today Show as well as locally in the Herald Mail, but it is just one of the thousands of stories that happen here at Shady Grove Fertility.
The courage to share your story doesn’t just impact your own life, it can inspire, heal, and free others in a way you never thought possible.
To share your story, fill out this brief form and to read all of our patient stories, or to search for a specific story about a diagnosis, visit this page. For more information or to schedule an appointment with one of our physicians, please call our New Patient Center at 888-971-7755.
