Kristin and Derek have been married for seven years. They both love kids and always knew that they wanted a big family. The couple also knew early on that they would most likely need help conceiving as Kristin was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Though the couple knew they would need some help, they never dreamed that they would be approaching their eighth anniversary without children.
After deciding that it was time to get serious about starting their family in 2013, Kristin made an appointment to get a referral to a reproductive endocrinologist. They were referred to a specialist and began the long journey. Through failed cycle after failed cycle the couple held onto hope that God just wasn’t ready to bless them yet, and that EVERYTHING happens for a reason. After undergoing several failed IUIs and an exploratory laparoscopy their doctor suggested IVF would be their best chance to get pregnant. They knew it would be expensive, but were willing to pay any price to fulfill their dreams of becoming parents. So, Derek and Kristin got a loan and went ahead with a fresh IVF cycle. Devastatingly, the cycle failed and they were left with no viable embryos to freeze and a big monthly reminder of that failure.
Derek and Kristin were finally ready to take the steps to become foster to adopt parents when her cousin approached her about Parental Hope’s IVF Raffle. To say Kristin’s family and friends took this opportunity and ran with it is an understatement. They bought 17 raffle tickets to give Derek and Kristin a mere chance at winning an IVF cycle with IRH. That in itself made them believe this was a “God thing”, but it gets even better. Their ticket was not the winning ticket pulled. Because of generous donors who had it on their hearts to donate another IVF cycle to give away that night, Kristin listened with tears in her eyes as her name was called as the second winner. Kristin and Derek share that “we will never be able to repay all of those, including Parental Hope, who have given us this opportunity of a lifetime. We are and will be forever grateful for the people we have been blessed with in our life.”
***Update: Kristin & Derek welcome Ella Kay on September 3, 2019***