Our Braxton Grant is awarded to couples living anywhere within the United States. They must be uninsured for fertility treatments, and without the financial resources to personally fund treatments. The grant can be used toward fertility treatments at any fertility clinic that is a member of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART).
The Starfish Infertility Foundation works hard all year raising funds by way of hosting benefits, donations, foundation shirt sales, and any other opportunity that comes our way. We do our very best to offer one Bexliegh and one Braxton Grant per year. We have been blessed to reach this goal each year and have at times been able to offer additional grants within a year.
Over the past few months, we have been accepting applications for the Braxton Grant. While it was not easy to select just one recipient (because we would love to help everyone), we made a selection. Lauren and Logan Chilman are in the midst of their infertility journey and with the Braxton Grant will hopefully welcome a baby in the near future.
Lauren & Logan’s Infertility Story
“Hi! We are Lauren and Logan Chilman and we have experienced infertility for 29 months. Our infertility journey started in the summer of 2016, though we started dating in 2010 and married in 2013. After almost 3 years of marriage and 5 years together, we decided that it was time to grow our family. We are applying to this grant because our attempts at TTC have been unsuccessful, and we want to be parents more than anything in the world.
After trying to conceive for over a year, we actually became pregnant but were unaware. After thinking my cycle came early, I woke up with some severe stomach pain. By lunchtime, I had pain radiating to my shoulder and I could not walk upright. I was sent to the ER for emergency surgery due to an ectopic pregnancy. The whole day happened so quickly. I did not even know how to process everything. I was trying to recover from severe internal bleeding, mourning the loss of a child we did not even know we were pregnant with, and trying to figure out our next step. I remember balling my eyes out while recovering and watching tv because though I had never noticed it before, it seemed as though every holiday advertisement was filled with babies, families, and mothers. It served as a cruel reminder to what I wouldn’t have that year.
My OBGYN was not concerned about us getting pregnant again, even though they had to remove my right fallopian tube during the surgery, but it may take a little longer. After a year of TTC, we were sent for routine testing. Everything checked out.
We were then sent to an infertility specialist. We attempted a round of IUI but after 5 days I had only produced one follicle on the side without a fallopian tube, so the procedure was canceled. We were devastated. Logan was sent to a separate male specialist who told us not to pursue IUI again until his numbers improved.
We went for a second opinion at a clinic in Cincinnati. Our plan was to attempt 3 rounds of IUI with this new clinic. The first cycle was unsuccessful, and once again we were heartbroken. We went forward with the second round of IUI, and this time it was successful. We were pregnant! Sadly, I found out that once again the pregnancy was ectopic in my remaining fallopian tube, so we not only lost another pregnancy, but also my remaining tube.
We want a family more than anything and know that we would make great parents, it just feels like we are fighting an uphill battle. After 8 years together, we are so ready to make that dream a reality! Our hearts and our home are open and ready for a baby.
By being awarded this grant, we will use it to pay for IVF with ICSI. A single IVF cycle at this clinic runs about $8,200 plus an additional $4,000 in medications.” – Lauren & Logan
We want to give a huge thank you to Lauren and Logan for sharing their story and wish them the best of luck.
Ways to Donate or Get Involved with Starfish Infertility Foundation:
- Through the website – www.starfishinfertilityfoundation.org: (https://starfishinfertilityfoundation.org/star_fish_homepage/get-involved/)
- Gift through Paypal to: info@starfishinfertilityfoundation.org
- Kroger Rewards If you shop at Kroger and have a Kroger Plus Card, please visit https://www.kroger.com/communityrewards Simply sign in, enroll now, enter organization number {PT873 for SIF}, enroll – DONE in less than 2 minutes!! Kroger will then donate a portion to SIF! How easy is THAT???
- Amazon Smile Go through www.smile.amazon.com to place your Amazon Orders and Choose STARFISH INFERTILITY FOUNDATION! A Portion of your Purchase will Automatically be Donated!
- Starfish Infertility Shirts! 100% goes to Starfish Infertility Foundation! https://edwardsphotographystudios.bigcartel.com/product/starfishswag
