NIAW: You Can Make a Difference

I admit there’s irony in promoting an item about Infertility Awareness among my largely infertile readership — like y’all need any help being reminded of the difficulties in your world compliments of infertility. In fact there have been many times when I would have much preferred spending a week not being hyper aware of my fertility deficiency, but since there are fertile folks who visit this blog, it’s time for another (drum roll please)…

Memo to the Fertile Community:

Now I know amid the fall cornucopia of celebrations, you’ve got your hands full — what with getting your little ones dressed up in scary or drop dead cute costumes. You’re fretting about what whether your kids are going to sample Grandma’s off-the-wall Thanksgiving dressing complete with mini marshmallows, and would you look at the time! Christmas/Chanukahis not that far around the corner. Gotta get the family photo taken for the annual card exchange.

If you could, however, squeeze one more thing onto the to-do list we’d be most grateful.

Now this request hardly qualifies as festive. It doesn’t come with free candy or presents, but the National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW) runs Nov 4-10. As you’ll find on the RESOLVE website, there are a number of things you can do — and you don’t even have to be infertile to do so! (Who says the infertility community is exclusive?)

• Be Sensitive to Childless Couples all
  around you. They don’t advertise their suffering. Reach out and offer
  them some understanding. In fact, I’m happy to open up a little
  challenge. I’m sadly lacking for new examples in my Act of Kindness
  Awards category (check out my sidebar). As a reminder the posts there celebrate those in the
  fertile community who step up or reach out with a simple act or
  behavior done with the conscious attempt to help an infertile couple. Overwhelm me, please!

• Blog About It.  How many in your very active mommy and daddy blog network know that there are millions of women and men who want desperately to do what comes naturally to other couples: conceive a child with their partner. For more than 7.2 million in the U.S. alone, that dream becomes a nightmare when they learn they have conditions contributing to infertility. There are multiple contributing factors, some better
  known or addressable by the medical community than others. Help them and the girls and boys today who may face problems in the future. Sadly, each day young couples get devastating news about faulty biology. You can help by removing the stigma and misunderstandings
  about infertility.

• Take Action. Contact your representatives and ask them to support legislation affecting infertility treatment and adoption. It’s easy and can make a big difference.  In fact, you could help block an attempt to make egg donation more difficult here in the U.S.

• If you’re looking for a new non-profit to support and would like to make a tax deductible donations, you can learn how by clicking on this link.

Now I know, my fertile readers, that my Memos to the Fertile Community have, how shall we say? Okay, an edge. I’m working to control my propensity for bitterness. Meet me half way and think of all the good we can do! Thank you, in advance, for your efforts!