On the Eve of Family Day #ABHC4IVF #ABPOLI
Updated – for Family Day 2017
On the eve of Family Day 2013 I asked infertility patients a question. The answers were emotional and many were heartbreaking. For those who do not yet have a family many holidays are reminders of loss and grief and health care struggles. That could change if Alberta started to fund IVF in the province. There are currently in 2017 four provinces funding the procedure. Alberta is not yet one of those provinces.
A couple of short weeks ago I asked the question on Generations of Hope Facebook page I help manage. The question was this: How do you tolerate Family Day?
For some of us it is a day off. For others, it is a day to take the children sledding, or to the movies, or to a fun family hotspot like Great Wolf Lodge. For those who wait because they cannot afford to build their families, for the childless who are parents in waiting, hoping for miracles, counting days and taking temperatures and scheduling doctor’s visits and dealing with heart-breaking emotions every time their period arrives, Family Day is yet another holiday that reminds them of what they do not have.
The answers came fast and, they were all emotional.
“I hide,” one lady said.
“I throw myself into work,” said another.
“I definitely withdraw,” said yet another struggling with infertility.
“It is especially hard when all the family members around you have babies.”
“Family Day isn’t the worst,” said one final comment, “Mother’s Day kills me.”
If, after you watch this video, you believe it’s time for Alberta to support public funding for in vitro fertilization, then please share, leave a comment AND follow the conversation on twitter @gensofhope. If you need more information you can read our bloggers, like Brooke Berry of Brooklyn Berry Designs, or Tammi of My Organized Chaos. You can read my post here about Five Reasons Why in vitro fertilization should get public funding. ABHC4IVF makes sense and it is the right thing to do. For those of you in Alberta who have family, enjoy and hold them close and when you are doing so take a moment to think of people who don’t have children. Lend your voice to this important cause.
Family Day in Alberta and Infertility Care
Join the cause and help us advocate for infertility awareness and public funding for IVF (in vitro fertilization). It’s time for Alberta to commit to building healthy families and saving health care dollars.
Follow us @GensofHope
and here too https://www.facebook.com/generationsofhope/
Tweet with us #abhc4ivf and #abpoli to help build awareness.
Happy Family Day Alberta! Here’s to wishing that one day soon fertility health care will be a priority for the Alberta health care system.
I am community manager for Generations of Hope and I run their influencer program, and as such I am compensated. My opinion is all my own and it is also truthful.
7 Comments
Mom vs. the boys
Family Day never bothered me, it was definitely Mothers Day that killed me
Randa Derkson
I believe it should have public funding as well. It’s hard enough to have troubles conceiving, the money shouldn’t be another stress.
Brandi Yee
This is such a great post about an important cause!! I’ve shared the video…I hope everyone watches it! 🙂
SamiJoe
Happy Family Day to Alberta! And hopefully one day, it’ll be a happier day for ALL Alberta families. 😉
Shash
I hope the funding gets put through.
Jennifer Van Huss
SO sad! I think it should totally be funded!
Paula Schuck
Thanks for the great comments and the support. This is really where we are strong, in terms of public support!