Meet our incredible grant recipients and take a moment to read their inspiring stories about hope and perseverance during their infertility journeys.
Alisha & Rob
West Chester, OH
Alisha and Rob’s battle with infertility took them down an unexpected path. During their first year of marriage, they began to worry about starting a family and were referred to the Institute for Reproductive Health (IRH). After several failed IUIs, their specialist recommended a laparoscopy to make sure nothing was missed. The procedure confirmed PCOS and Stage 1 endometriosis. Knowing IVF would be difficult financially, they attempted more IUI procedures…all of which failed to produce a pregnancy. At that point, they made the decision to take a break from the emotional rollercoaster.
During that break, a miracle happened…a positive pregnancy test! They told their families and optimistically began planning their future. The day before the first appointment with their obstetrician, Alisha had a gut feeling something was wrong. In her words, “They say a woman just knows. I knew. The world had just fallen out from underneath me.” She miscarried the baby boy they conceived due to Trisomy 21. Alisha required two D&C procedures. “I didn’t want to lose my little boy and neither did my body,” she shared with us in her application essay. Their doctor told them to heal emotionally and prepare for IVF. So, they continued to try on their own and applied for a Parental Hope Family Grant.
After being told they were receiving a Grant, Alisha and Rob, shared, “When we look back on our fertility journey so far, we were often overcome with sadness and disappointment…until now. We have been grasping for a glimpse of hope and our prayers have been answered after receiving a Parental Hope Family Grant. We cannot say thank you enough to Jen and David for making the foundation a reality, the Parental Hope Board, and all of the supporters who have made this Grant possible.”
Christian & Casey
Oxford, OH
Christian and Casey never imagined that life would take them on one of the biggest struggles they’ll likely ever face as husband and wife. As a devoted Special Education Teacher, Christian was constantly asked by “her kids” when she was going to have a baby of her own. She stated in her application essay, “Those same 32 kids that ask me that question every day, are those who keep me positive and focused while we ride the infertility train.”
After trying to conceive for several months, it was clear something was wrong. Looking for answers, Christian and Casey met with specialists and were diagnosed with both female and male factor infertility. When several IUI cycles were unsuccessful, their doctor advised them that IVF was going to be their best option. Due to the high costs of IVF, Christian and Casey were unsure how they were going to afford treatment.
Christian and Casey share, “Despite our infertility struggles, we remain extremely hopeful and are excited for the next steps in our journey to become parents.“ In response to receiving the Parental Hope Family Grant, Christian and Casey expressed their gratitude, “From the bottom of our hearts, we genuinely want to say thanks again for believing in our journey of becoming parents and awarding us the Parental Hope Family Grant. Words cannot express how humbled and blessed we feel that you chose us.”
Nicole & Christian
Reading, OH
Nicole and Christian met in middle school during an audition for West Side Story. Their paths crossed many times over the next several years. After high school, Christian joined the Army and was deployed to Kosovo and Afghanistan. Upon returning, Christian and Nicole picked up where they left off, started dating and got married!
Eleven years into their marriage, their desire to start a family was growing deeper every day. They were unsuccessful in their attempts to conceive, so Nicole set-up a consultation with a fertility specialist. Prior to her consultation, Nicole was screened for breast cancer at a mobile mammography event her work had organized. Two weeks later, Nicole, 33, was shocked to learn that she had breast cancer. Nicole and Christian put their dreams of starting a family on the backburner to pursue cancer treatment. After several successful surgeries, her oncologist declared her cancer free! With a clean bill of health, they focused their efforts back to becoming parents. Hopes were dashed again when fertility testing revealed there was very little chance of conception without IVF.
Nicole and Christian express sentiments after learning they were chosen as grant recipients, “Words cannot express how truly grateful we are for the Parental Hope Family Grant. Our journey with cancer has given us an awareness to not take anything for granted; particularly something as precious as life. After having a devastating year, Parental Hope has filled us with a hope and optimism for our future.”
Aubrey & Josh
Loveland, OH
Aubrey and Josh met in high school and have been together for 11 years. The story of how they met is a favorite of Aubrey’s. She was friends with Josh’s brother, Nate, and he threw a New Year’s Eve party one year. Aubrey left the party for a few minutes to get some fresh air, and there was Josh. They ended up talking for a couple hours and later that night, Aubrey told her friend Nate that she was going to marry Josh someday! They never ended up dating when they were younger, but Josh and Aubrey ended up moving to Cincinnati around the same time in 2002 and the pair has been inseparable ever since!
After years of dating, Aubrey and Josh, moved back to Indiana so she could go to graduate school. In 2015, when Aubrey was close to finishing school, they decided to pursue fertility treatments knowing they would not be able to get pregnant on their own. Nothing was working, so their doctor approved them to try IVF. When Aubrey and Josh were presented with the exorbitant bill, they knew they would not be able to continue at that time.
The couple put family-building on hold while they moved back to Cincinnati to be closer to family including their nephews and niece. Aubrey and Josh come from very tight-knit families, and they wanted to provide their child/ren the opportunity to be close to their cousins. So, they decided to save for IVF treatment, and head to Cincinnati.
After some tests, Aubrey and Josh met with their doctor and it was determined that their case was going to be much more complicated than a typical IVF cycle. Aubrey and Josh would need a Gestational Carrier. This news put the pregnancy plan completely out of reach for the couple, or so they thought. After announcing this news to their families, Aubrey’s sister stepped forward and offered to be the couple’s GC. What a selfless and loving gesture.
On the suggestion of family, Aubrey and Josh decided to apply for the Parental Hope Family Grant. “We are beyond thrilled to be chosen for this grant and really don’t have the words to express how grateful we are,” expresses Aubrey. “We’re so excited to be back on track to starting our family!”
With their IVF cycle covered by Parental Hope and Aubrey’s sister acting as their GC, Aubrey and Josh, will have a real chance at parenthood.
Brandie & John
Clevleland, OH
Brandie and John, married for 12 years, have always known they wanted to be parents. Two and a half years after marrying, they bought their home and decided to start building their family. Their plan was to have two biological children, then foster/adopt two more a few years later. Following some heart and immunity-related illnesses, Brandie was given clearance by her doctors to stop birth control. After a few short months of trying to conceive, they were pregnant! Sadly, eight weeks later, they suffered a miscarriage. Brandie and John’s doctor assured them miscarriages are common and were told not to worry.
With each passing year, Brandie asked her doctor why they weren’t getting pregnant. For years, her doctor kept reassuring her that they just needed to relax and there was no reason for concern. Aggravated and frustrated, they decided to rethink their original family plan. Brandie and John were ready to be parents, so they decided to open their hearts and home to children in need.
They were blessed when three amazing kids walked through their door in June 2013. For the next two years, they would be known as “Mommy Brandie and Daddy John.” When the kids couldn’t be reunited with family, Brandie and John didn’t think twice about adopting all of them. However, JFS believed the children should be moved to a location unknown to their birth family and they were removed from their home. After the children were moved, Brandie and John were in contact with them for 10 months, however, when contact eventually ended, Brandie and John were devastated.
Not ready to face the possibility of having to say goodbye again so soon, Brandie and John decided to take a break from fostering and go back to the doctor. After months of still not conceiving, they were finally referred to a reproductive endocrinologist. With an official diagnosis of unexplained infertility and after three failed IUI attempts, their RE advised their best chance at starting a family would be through IVF.
“We are sincerely grateful to Parental Hope for granting us the opportunity to fulfill our dream of building a family,” comments the couple. “There are no words to express the appreciation we have for Parental Hope. How does someone thank another for such a selfless, priceless, opportunity?”
Cori & Josh
West Harrison, IN
Josh and Cori met twelve years ago at Miami University. After five years of marriage, they began trying to expand their family. For over a year, they attempted to conceive a child to no avail at which point they were referred to the Institute for Reproductive Health (IRH). After running some standard tests, Josh was diagnosed with CVABD due to inheriting a recessive cystic fibrosis (CF) gene. After receiving the diagnosis they were informed that, the only way to conceive a biological child was to undergo TESA and IVF with ICSI.
Additionally, Cori underwent genetic testing to ensure she was not a CF carrier. Thankfully genetic testing determined she is not a CF carrier so the couple felt confident to begin saving for IVF, an endeavor they anticipated to take roughly two to three years.
While they continued to save, Josh and Cori focused on enjoying their life as a duo and minimizing any frustration or negativity brought on by the situation. On occasion, Cori would search available grants and support networks for couples facing similar obstacles. One such search led her to Parental Hope through IRH’s website.
Unfortunately, when she discovered the Parental Hope Grant the initial application deadline had passed for that year, but reading the Grant Recipients’ stories renewed their feeling of hope. That hope guided them to purchase two IVF raffle tickets at the Journey to Parenthood event. Little did they know how their luck would change that night…
Winning the IVF Raffle has been a blessing neither of them could have anticipated. Upon hearing her name called out, Cori, was in utter disbelief, but also thought of all the other couples who were not as fortunate that evening. Both Josh and Cori want to thank Parental Hope and IRH for allowing them the opportunity to pursue their dream of building a family and encourage other couples battling infertility to remain hopeful as they navigate their path to parenthood.
Erin & Eddie
Maysville, KY
Erin and Eddie have been married for four years and from the very beginning, they wanted to start a family. Erin has known since her early twenties that she would need help to conceive as she was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Little did she know, that she would need a lot of help! After trying on their own, they decided to seek medical help in early 2015.
One year and one surgery later they were told that IVF would be their only option to conceive and were referred to the Institute For Reproductive Health (IRH). Along with being diagnosed with PCOS, Erin’s fallopian tubes were closed and could not be repaired. After a surgery to remove her tubes, they began wandering how they could afford IVF. Erin and Eddie knew it would be a struggle both emotionally and financially, but they were willing to do what it took to fulfill their dream of becoming parents.
At IRH, they went through one fresh IVF and one frozen embryo transfer (FET). Erin and Eddie were devastated after both cycles failed. Their family and friends became an amazing support system, always encouraging them to never lose faith. After the second failed cycle, they didn’t know how they could afford a second FET.
Erin’s motto, “Embrace the Detours,” has helped her get through the devastation and heartbreak of two failed cycles. “There is a reason for everything and we may not know it now, but it’ll all make sense one day,” expresses Erin.
Second-time Parental Hope Family Grant applicants, Erin and Eddie, share, “It is a blessing that Parental Hope does so much to help others and we will never have enough words to show our gratitude towards them for this amazing gift.”
Julie & Dan
Loveland, OH
Julie and Dan have been married for four years. They met while Dan was living in Chicago. A few years ago, they relocated back to the Cincinnati area, now making their home in Loveland. They both come from big families, and always dreamed of having one of their own. Even though they met late in life, they never expected to face infertility.
After a year of trying naturally with no success, they were referred to the Institute of Reproductive Health (IRH). With the help of IRH, it was determined that Julie had endometriosis along with several other female factors that were prohibiting her from getting pregnant. After trying several IUI’s, they realized that their best chance of becoming parents was through IVF. They knew that this would be a struggle, both emotionally and financially, but their faith gave them strength to move forward.
After two fresh IVF’s and one frozen embryo transfer, which were unsuccessful, they found themselves down to their two remaining frozen embryos. Since all previous treatments were personally financed, they were unsure where they would find the resources to move forward with their infertility journey. Though the support of their friends, family and faith, they gained strength through this challenging time and never gave up hope.
After hearing that they were selected for a Grant, Julie and Dan shared, “We are forever grateful for this opportunity and feel so blessed to be a recipient of a Parental Hope Family Grant. Even though this isn’t how we pictured our story being written, this whole process of infertility has made us stronger both as individuals and as a couple. We thank Parental Hope from the bottom of our hearts for renewing our hope and giving us another chance to become parents. Parental Hope is truly an amazing organization and has made a difference in so many people’s lives. ”
Lauren & Logan
Lexington, KY
Lauren, an elementary school teacher, and Logan, a railroad engineer, began their journey with infertility in 2015, just months after becoming husband and wife. For years though, Lauren always had a feeling, or as her friends would later say, a God whisper, that their journey to parenthood wouldn’t be easy. Listening to that intuition, they immediately began trying to conceive upon getting married.
After months of the same disappointing outcome, they knew Lauren’s intuition was right. They began to seek answers from specialists at the Institute for Reproductive Health in Cincinnati, OH. Despite the heartbreaking news that they wouldn’t be able to conceive naturally, they remained hopeful that they would someday become parents. Immediately, they tried multiple IUI cycles, all with no success. They went through periods of back to back IUIs and periods of saving money. It was then they were told that the next step in their journey would be IVF.
Due to the high cost of IVF, it was with unwavering hope and faith, that they put their plans on hold. They began saving everything they could and praying for a miracle. Their miracle came in the form of a grant from Parental Hope. When they received their grant the couple said, “It’s like a thousand pounds have been lifted from our shoulders. We feel like we can live again.”
Lauren and Logan are so grateful for the opportunity Parental Hope has blessed them with. After receiving the grant Lauren reflected, “We are genuinely so thankful and humbled to have been chosen as recipients of this grant. We have often felt alone and isolated throughout this process, and we are beyond blessed to have a family within Parental Hope that is in our corner. Thank you to Jen, David, and the entire Parental Hope Board for entering our lives and forever changing it for the better.”
Megan & Nathan
Lebanon, OH
Megan, a PA at an orthopedic practice, and Nathan, a State Trooper for the OSHP, first met on the playground in second grade. They started dating at age 16, fell in love in their college years and married in October 2008. After establishing their careers, they decided it was the perfect time to create a family in 2012. Shortly after, Megan was diagnosed and treated for severe endometriosis followed by several unsuccessful IUIs. Their last attempt resulted in a rare pelvic abscess in 2016. This infection required urgent surgery and a two-day stay in the hospital. Things continued to be difficult for several months following and the tough decision to restart birth control was made until further fertility treatments were deemed safe.
Once test results showed no evidence of recurrent infection or damage, the decision to pursue IVF was encouraged by their doctors. However, IVF comes with a huge financial burden, so Megan and Nathan decided to apply for a Parental Hope Family Grant a second time. And we’re so glad they did!
Megan and Nathan’s journey has been tough, but they would go through it all again in a heartbeat to have a family. “No words are adequate enough to express our gratitude to Parental Hope for helping us with our goal of starting a family; you’ve provided us with hope during a long journey of struggle and for that we will forever be thankful,” expresses Megan and Nathan.
Stacie & Justin
Fairborn, OH
Justin, an aeronautical engineer with the United States Air Force, and Stacie, who worked for twelve years at a federal agency in IT compliance, met while they were both vacationing in Destin, Florida. They dated long distance before marrying two years later and started trying for a baby on their wedding night. Justin was getting deployed and Stacie was 32 at the time, so they knew they wanted to get their family started right away. What Stacie and Justin didn’t know was that five years later, they would still have empty arms.
Stacie and Justin became pregnant twice with treatment of Clomid, but lost both babies within six weeks of pregnancy. Once they were transferred to Dayton, Ohio, the couple would ultimately pursue five IUI attempts and an IVF cycle with pre-genetic screening. During this time, Stacie faced four surgeries, including a hysteroscopy, laparoscopy and D&C procedures. In total, Stacie and Justin have faced seven miscarriages of much desired babies. Needless to say, it’s been a heart-breaking journey for the couple.
Stacie has battled scoliosis since adolescence and today, she dedicates time to mentoring kids, teens and adults facing treatment and spinal fusion surgery. “Pouring love into children facing medical trials has been the ointment on the wound of infertility for me. So many families have welcomed us into their lives,” she shares.
Stacie and Justin are Ohio ‘Wrapped with Love Coordinators’ for the non-profit SHIFT Scoliosis organization. They send blankets to patients facing surgery. Stacie shares, “We discovered information about the Parental Hope Family Grant via a friend in the scoliosis community who lives in Cleveland, Ohio. I met the mom and her daughters at a conference for children battling scoliosis and believe that God puts people in our path for a reason.”
Sharing their story has proven to be healing for Stacie and Justin. “If we can help one couple by sharing our story, we know it will be worth it. The words ‘You are not alone’ are so powerful and universal,” share the couple.
Justin adds, “We are still in shock to be among the nine families chosen for the Parental Hope Family IVF Grant. We instantly felt like old friends among the Parental Hope Board of Directors. We feel very blessed and realize there are many other families out there who deserve this opportunity.”
“A rainbow baby is one born after loss,” says Staci. “We want to encourage others that despite infertility struggles, military challenges, and health adversities, there are rainbows after storms. We are praying for our rainbow baby! Thank you, Parental Hope, for giving us an opportunity for our dreams to come true!”
Tina & Mike
Florence, KY
Tina and Mike met through friends in June 2009. Their paths briefly crossed a few times over the next year and they began dating in November 2010. Tina and Mike immediately knew they had found their soulmates in one another and got married on June 27th, the anniversary of the day they met. Due to their desire to start a family, Tina’s PCOS diagnosis and getting married later in life, they began fertility treatments one month after they got married.
Initially Tina and Mike believed their journey would be as simple as taking medication for a few months. Unfortunately, they were wrong. For one year, they participated in unsuccessful treatments under the care of Tina’s gynecologist. Then, they were referred to a specialist at the Institute for Reproductive Health (IRH). In addition to medical treatments, they participated in holistic treatments such as acupuncture, diet change, essential oils, meditation, Chinese herbs, and fertility massages. During the next 18 months of treatment at IRH, Tina and Mike attempted several IUIs, one surgery and experienced their first miscarriage.
The ongoing disappointment lead to the realization that they would need the help of IVF and they were willing to overcome the financial burden of IVF in order to achieve their dream of parenthood. Unfortunately, IVF resulted in three more miscarriages and an additional surgery. After a lot of reflection, Tina and Mike accepted that their recurrent miscarriages were due to poor quality eggs. Unfortunately, they had already depleted their financial resources, so they would need to ask for financial help in order to use donor eggs, so Tina and Mike took a chance and applied for a Parental Hope Family Grant.
“Our faith and hope in this journey was restored when we learned that we were recipients of a Parental Hope Family Grant,” commented Tina and Mike. “Without Parental Hope’s help, this opportunity would never have been a reality for us. We are confident that using donor eggs will be the factor that brings us the child we so strongly desire.”
Amanda & Justin
Amelia, OH
Amanda and Justin were introduced by his mom nearly seven years ago. She asked Amanda if she had a boyfriend, which she did. His mom said well that’s unfortunate because I think you should marry my oldest son Justin. A few months later, after Amanda had gone through a break up, they were introduced and have been inseparable since.
Within a few months of dating, they knew that they wanted to spend their lives together and start a family. Since they were in their 30’s, Amanda consulted her OB. They did a few rounds of initial treatment and then were referred to the Institute for Reproductive Health for a consult. Amanda was diagnosed with PCOS and Justin was determined to have some mild motility issues. A few months later, Justin proposed and they put treatment on hold until after their wedding.
They were married in May of 2014 and started treatment in June. After eight IUI cycles, they moved onto to IVF in 2015. During their fresh cycle of IVF, an underlying issue was discovered that explained their previous failed cycles. During the IVF process, there was zero fertilization. The doctor explained to them that was likely why they hadn’t been successful. The lab performed rescue ICSI and successfully had several embryos result. Two were transferred and four were frozen. They ultimately conceived when their last two frozen embryos were transferred and in 2016, they welcomed a perfect baby girl.
Growing up, both Amanda and Justin were the oldest of a number of siblings and they are close with them. Amanda has four sisters and Justin has two brothers. Their dream is for their daughter to get to experience a similar upbringing with a sibling. They enjoy life as a family in Cincinnati, you are very likely to find them at the zoo with their daughter on nice days, watching Cincinnati sports with family, or having play dates with friends. They recently purchased their first home as a family and the Parental Hope Family Grant can help make an otherwise out of touch dream a possibility.
Chelsea & Jeff
Milford, OH
Jeff and Chelsea have been married for seven years. They met at Noodles & Company where they both worked while in college. Chelsea asked Jeff out on their first date, and it was an instant connection. Jeff said he knew from that moment he was going to marry Chelsea. In the summer of 2011, Chelsea joined the United States Air Force and shortly after that they got married in San Antonio, Texas. They always knew they wanted to start a family together, but they wanted to wait until they were closer to home.
After serving in the military, Jeff and Chelsea moved back to Cincinnati, and began trying to start their family right away. After over a year of trying to conceive naturally with no success, they made appointments to see their doctors. Clomid was prescribed and medical tests were done as they continued trying for another 6 months with no success. It was finally discovered that due to a surgery Jeff had as a small child, it was causing him to have a low sperm count. They were told that it was going to be difficult to ever conceive naturally and they were referred to the Institute for Reproductive Health.
It was discussed with IRH that they had a small chance of conceiving with IUI, but IVF was their highest chance. Due to the cost of an IVF cycle, they chose to attempt IUI first. Chelsea and Jeff tried two rounds of IUI, which were unfortunately, unsuccessful. After the second one, it was discussed that IVF would be their greatest hope. The cost of IVF caused great stress, and Jeff began to research family grants. He came across the Parental Hope Family Grant, finding out they were based in Cincinnati and already working with IRH, the couple took it as a sign to apply.
The day they found out they had received a grant, was the day they knew they had the highest possibility of starting a family. Chelsea and Jeff were welcomed with open arms into the Parental Hope family and feel incredibly grateful for their support. They are very excited to start the next chapter of their journey!
Christina & Mads
Lakeside Park, KY
Mads and Christina met seven years ago. Having found one other later in life, they knew they wanted to have a child as soon as possible. Christina, having worked with children her whole adult life never dreamed that her dream of having a family of their own would be so difficult. Unfortunately, things weren’t going their way were referred to the Institute for Reproductive Health.
After riding the rollercoaster emotionally with surgery, six IUIs each being more aggressive each try and miscarriages, they were told the next step was IVF. “Just hearing IVF our hearts sank,” the couple stated. So, they thought they’d take a chance at the IVF raffle at the Journey to Parenthood event. Christina and Mads were there to support the organization and all it’s doing for infertility and all the other couples out there struggling. They never imagined that their names would be selected. Until their names were called at the end of the event and were in shock!
Christina and Mads are beyond grateful to Parental Hope and feel extremely blessed to be given the chance to continue their journey to build a family. They would also like for this to encourage others to not lose HOPE as you continue on your journey.
Kaitlyn & Cody
Kimper, KY
Kaitlyn and Cody met and began dating while in high school and have been together ever since. They got engaged in college and married in 2013.
At the age of 19, Kaitlyn was diagnosed with PCOS, but didn’t really understand the impact it would have on her fertility until years later when the couple decided to start a family. After several months of trying on their own without success, Kaitlyn tried Clomid and Femara. After two long years and one unsuccessful IUI, Kaitlyn had a laparoscopic surgery to rule out endometriosis. No endometriosis was found, but she did have a blockage in her cervix that was removed. She also endured ovarian drilling. Kaitlyn and Cody thought these tests and procedures would be the solution, but after six more months and another unsuccessful IUI, they didn’t know what else to do.
After a ton of research, Kaitlyn and Cody decided to see a specialist at the Institute of Reproductive Health. It was there that they learned IVF would likely be the best option to start a family. After reviewing the costs of IVF, they needed some time to think it over and figure out a game plan.
In the spring of 2018, Kaitlyn found out she was pregnant for the first time! Unfortunately, it was a chemical pregnancy and she miscarried shortly after finding out. Months later after the heartbreak, the couple decided they weren’t going to wait any longer. However, in order to move forward with IVF, Kaitlyn and Cody were going to have to take out a loan. When she called to make the appointment, she was informed about the Parental Hope Family Grant. They didn’t know what to expect, but it was worth a shot!
“Finding out we were one of the recipients of a Parental Hope Grant was amazing. We were so surprised and are still processing it all. Words cannot describe how thankful and grateful we are for Parental Hope and this wonderful chance to hopefully, finally get our miracle!”
Kelly & Rob
Centerville, OH
Kelly and Rob’s journey began a long, long time ago! They dated back in their early 20’s then sadly, went their separate ways. After several years of growing and maturing it seemed that time reunited them; Rob had been deployed to Kuwait & Iraq and Kelly began corresponding with him. That time spent writing back and forth allowed them to get to know one another all over again.
In 2011, Kelly and Rob married, thus beginning the journey of starting a family, a passion and dream they both have always shared. They were excited to begin trying right away and discovered in November of 2012 they were pregnant with a boy, Liam. Kelly and Rob were over the moon as first-time parents and beyond in love with their little man. Their world, however, quickly changed and joy turned to fear and uncertainty as by the end of Liam’s first year of life he underwent three surgeries and was diagnosed with a rare, genetic condition called Lowe Syndrome. The heartache that followed watching their little baby go through surgery and knowing that he will be battling a medical condition his entire life is truly devastating.
After some time, Kelly and Rob had settled into their new normal and slowly began discussing the possibility of once again growing their family only to discover that Kelly is a carrier for Lowe Syndrome. Knowing what their son has endured and foreseeing the battles he will face throughout his life, for Kelly and Rob, means they cannot risk putting another one of their children through the possibility of being affected by this horrible condition.
In order to have a healthy child, Kelly and Rob’s only option is IVF with preimplantation genetic testing. Last year, Kelly and Rob endured two failed rounds of IVF, never making it to the implant phase. These two rounds were not covered by insurance and drained their entire savings making the dream to have another child seem to fade away. This was a devastating time for the family, but they kept fighting. Kelly and Rob decided to research non-profits that could aid with another attempt. They discovered Parental Hope and it seemed to be a perfect fit, so Kelly and Rob applied.
“The application process was both exciting and terrifying, but provided us with a newfound feeling of HOPE in the difficult journey of raising our son with special needs while also fighting to grow our family.”
Kristin & Derek
Hillsboro, OH
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.”
Leikka & Derek
Berea, KY
Leikka and Derek met in October of 2006 while in high school and have been together ever since. They became engaged while Leikka was in college and married just before she graduation.They knew that one day wanted to build their family and were so excited to do so. After what seemed like a life time of trying to conceive on their own, Leikka decided to call her doctor to see if there was anything that could be done to help the process along. Four months on Clomind came with stress and a lot of questioning as Derek and Leikka had not become pregnant.
At this point, they reached out to a specialist and received heartbreaking news that Derek had a rare form of Azospermia. This meant that their only option of having their family was through IVF. With the help of their family, Leikka and Derek were able to complete an IVF cycle the summer of 2015, and again, were faced with heartbreak as the cycle was unsuccessful. They decided to pursue an adoption through a private agency, but unfortunately, that came with a huge financial component and was also, unsuccessful.
In 2017 they attempted to do three IUI cycles using a sperm donor. After two failed cycles, Leikka was diagnosed with Stage II Endometriosis requiring surgery. Through all the heartbreak, Leikka and Derek stayed hopeful and didn’t give up. Introduced to the amazing team at the Institute for Reproductive Health, restored their hope that one day they’d have a family of their own.
IVF was the only option and they were unsure how to bear the high cost of IVF. Leikka and Derek were informed of the Parental Hope Family Grant and decided to apply. Little did they know that this leap would soon turn into the hope of a life time.
“We can not thank Jennifer and David Bross, along with the entire board of directors, enough for giving us the chance to welcome the miracle that we’ve been longing for. We are beyond grateful and truly blessed to have received the Parental Hope Family Grant.”
Morgan & Philip
Frankfurt, KY
Morgan and Philip met through a local community service organization in August 2006 and married a year later. They were both eager to start a family, but wanted to wait a year. Morgan and Philip learned they were pregnant almost immediately after they began trying to start a family. However, they suffered a miscarriage early on. Doctors assured them that miscarriages happen more often than people like to talk about and encouraged Morgan and Philip to try again. They were immediately pregnant again and excited to become parents, however, Morgan and Philip soon hit a new low. They lost their baby during the 12th week of pregnancy. Given that this was unusual, their doctor ordered blood work and discovered Morgan was positive for MTHFR, a blood clotting disorder.
Morgan and Philip suffered three more miscarriages before learning about the Institute for Reproductive Health in 2011. After changing their routine by adding a couple of medications, Morgan and Philip became pregnant with daughter, Quinn. At a routine 18-week ultrasound, it was discovered that Morgan had extremely low amniotic fluid and was put on strict bed rest for the remainder of the pregnancy.. Quinn was delivered on December 1, 2011. She was immediately intubated, but was stable. The following day, things took a turn for the worse and she was transferred to another hospital. Morgan and Philip hit an all-time low when they were given “two and a half hours max” on the morning of December 3, 2011. They were advised by doctors to take her off of life support, but they refused to give up hope. Seven weeks later, they were beyond thankful to take Quinn home.
The first year was full of excitement and fear. Although Quinn had overcome so many obstacles, her growth and kidney issues remained a big concern. At 14 months, she was diagnosed with Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome, an extremely rare genetic condition that affects 1 in 50,000. Soon after, they found that Morgan was a carrier for this syndrome. They learned that if they wanted to expand their family, the chances of either passing this on again or having more miscarriages was very high. The couple’s best option would be IVF with PGD testing.
Morgan and Philip found themselves back in Dr. Scheiber’s office discussing the future. They decided to move forward with IVF in 2016, but sadly, none of their embryos made it to transfer. After saving and trying again in 2017, they had 5 embryos make it to day 5. Feeling hopeful, they moved on to the PGD testing phase. They were overcome with sadness upon learning that none of the 5 were “normal.”
Morgan and Philip thought they were at the end of the journey, as they could not afford another cycle. However, a friend informed them about the grant through Parental Hope. They decided to fill out the application, as they were not ready to give up..
“We were overcome with emotions when we learned that we were grant recipients. We are very hopeful as we move into this next phase and hope that we are able to expand our family. Quinn would be the very best (little) big sister.”
Natasha & Kyle
Georgetown, KY
Natasha and Kyle met in middle school, became best friends in high school, and started dating the last month of their senior year in 2010 (barely making the cut to be high school sweethearts). By September 2011, they were engaged and married in December of 2012.
Both were ready to start a family shortly after getting married, but soon found the right decision for them was to focus on building a strong marital foundation before welcoming any children. By 2015, Kyle and Natasha felt they were ready and started trying to conceive. Month after month, they received the same outcome, a negative pregnancy test. Through many tears, heartbreaks, and prayers, they decided it was time to talk to their doctor in December of 2017.
Natasha spoke with her doctor, who ordered a semen analysis for Kyle and an HSG test for Natasha. While Natasha’s test came back clear, Kyle’s analysis came back abnormal. At this point, they were referred to Dr. Scheiber at the Institute for Reproductive Health. Dr. Scheiber informed them about IUI and they started right away in March 2018. After three rounds of IUI, Natasha and Kyle, once again, received the same outcome – a negative pregnancy test. Dr. Scheiber then gave them three options to continue their infertility journey and he believed IVF would be their most successful option.
With a heavy heart, Natasha and Kyle accepted the fact that IVF was in their future and they made their education day appointment in July 2018. Little did they know, they would soon find themselves struggling through financial hardships. Knowing the severe cost of IVF, Natasha and Kyle thought it was best to put their infertility journey on hold until their hardships came to pass and would be able to pay for IVF and raise a child.
As Kyle called to cancel their first IVF appointment, a kind nurse informed him about the Parental Hope Family Grant. This gave Kyle and Natasha a glimmer of hope as they applied and mailed in their application in August 2018. As the weeks went by, they prayed harder than ever before to be recipients so they could continue this journey. Good news came in October 2018 when they were notified that they would be recipients of an IVF grant!
“Receiving this grant is an answered prayer and it feels like so much weight has been lifted off of our shoulders. We cannot wait to continue this infertility journey and will forever be grateful for Parental Hope.”
Sara & Matt
Lexington, KY
Sara and Matt met in 2009 while at a conference in Chattanooga, TN for student alumni associations they were both involved with at their own universities; Sara at Eastern Kentucky University and Matt at the University of Louisville. They started dating the following November and married in March 2016.
They knew they wanted to start a family right away, but knew the path may look differently than others since Matt has the mildest form of Congenital Adrenal Hyperplasia (CAH). They had talked about how they would build a family if Sara was a carrier for the same disease. She had genetic testing done only two days after they were married to rule this out and thankfully, she was not. Had she been, any child they had naturally would be guaranteed to have the potential fatal disease CAH. When Sara was determined to not be a carrier, their hopes were high to conceive and start a family right away.
After over a year of trying to conceive naturally, Sara and Matt began to see their doctors about possible infertility issues. Sara was diagnosed with PCOS because of irregular menstrual cycles. Matt was already on Clomid because of the CAH and Sara started her own rounds of medication in an effort to conceive through IUI. After three rounds were unsuccessful, they decided to take a break. During this time, they felt called to become foster parents while also saving for IVF. While they were going through the approval process with the state, a family member recommended they switch from their fertility clinic to the Institute for a Reproductive Health and apply for the Parental Hope Grant. Receiving this Grant has renewed HOPE, which had slowly started to dim because of the failed fertility treatments and the looming financial burden of IVF.
“We are excited and cannot wait to start the process so we will hopefully be blessed with biological children of their own. We are extremely grateful to the Parental Hope Board of Directors for offering couples in situations like ours, the opportunity to start a family.”
Shelby & Kyle
Jamestown, OH
Shelby and Kyle have been together for seven years and known each other for 13. Kyle is a journeyman for Reddy Electric and Shelby is a technician for Dayton Eye Associates. They love the outdoors and their four-legged dog, Ryder.
Three years ago, Shelby was diagnosed with precancerous tumors which required surgery. Shortly after surgery, their doctor explained that Shelby’s Fallopian Tubes did not develop correctly. She also received a diagnosis of endometriosis and ovarian cysts. Their hearts were crushed with the news that starting a family would likely be a difficult one with expensive fertility treatments.
Shelby and Kyle sought out a fertility doctor in Centerville, Ohio and learned IVF would be thousands of dollars. Devastated, they didn’t know how they were going to pay for treatment. Realizing that IVF wasn’t covered by insurance and money for treatment was due upfront, they were quickly losing hope, but never stopped praying for a miracle! Their blessing came through by a very good friend who introduced them to Parental Hope.
“We couldn’t be more thankful for Parental Hope for entering our lives and forever changing it for the better. A special thank you to David and Jennifer Bross, Leah Seymour, and every single last person on the board that volunteers their time to do such wonderful things for couples battling infertility. THANK YOU for giving us a brighter future of faith!”
Beth & Sean
Cincinnati, OH
Beth and Sean’s fertility journey has been beyond difficult. They have been married for just over four years and when they first sat down to plan their life together, they just knew that they would be well on their way to the family they always wanted. Beth and Sean thought the biggest hurdle they’d incur would be simply to find the time to enjoy one another. As their married life continued, however, starting a family proved to be more difficult than they had ever expected.
Very early in Beth and Sean’s marriage, it was discovered that Beth had severe endometriosis. After laparoscopy and six IUIs, they finally turned to IVF. Retrieval occurred in June 2017 and they were ecstatic to hear that they had three healthy embryos. A few days later, Beth and Sean transferred one embryo and weeks later, got the most incredible news that they were pregnant. Beth and Sean felt so incredibly fortunate that their first IVF round brought them their beautiful daughter, Gwendolyn. From the moment they found out that they had three healthy embryos, Beth and Sean envisioned their lives with three children and were anxious to meet her siblings. On February 22, 2019, Beth and Sean transferred their second embryo and were excited to discover Beth was once again pregnant. Unfortunately, when they went for their first ultrasound, they discovered that their little baby’s heart had stopped beating. Weeks later, Beth miscarried at home, only several hours before she was scheduled to have a D&C.
There was never any question that Beth and Sean would transfer their last embryo, but shouldering the cost of fresh and frozen IVF cycles, as well as the medical bills surrounding a successful pregnancy and a miscarriage, their last frozen cycle was feeling out-of-reach.
“Incredibly, Parental Hope has given us the opportunity to try again without having to bear the financial burden (because Lord knows the emotional burden is more than enough). Knowing that we only have one embryo left is a bit terrifying because we are quite literally putting all our eggs in one basket, but we are both hopeful that this last cycle will give us the sibling for Gwen that we so desire. We are so thankful for Parental Hope for giving us the opportunity, but even more importantly, for providing us with a community of love and support that continues to walk alongside us on this journey.”
Christina & Wade
Hamilton, OH
Wade and Christina’s story began as babies when Wade stole Christina’s bottle. Their mothers grew up together and remained close friends so the two would see each other on summer days and special occasions. One such special occasion was Christina’s first birthday when Wade kissed her for the first time, unaware he would one day kiss her again. After graduating high school, Wade joined the United States Marine Corps and Christina went to college. For years, they lived separate lives; oblivious to God’s plan for them to meet again. One summer day, after years apart, God brought the two back together again but this time was different. The timing was perfect. And so, on a night full of dancing and celebration, a new chapter in Wade and Christina’s story was written. They married and quickly began trying to get pregnant, never anticipating the challenges they would face. Wade, a CT technologist, and Christina, a social worker, showered their two fur babies, Gram and Bentley, with love, clung to their faith and remained focused on their careers as they began struggling to conceive.
The couple soon began seeking help from a highly respected and knowledgeable fertility specialist. After time spent on various procedures, hypotheses and conclusions, the doctor informed the couple that Christina would need the assistance of medication in order for a pregnancy to be maintained, but that there should be no reason the two could not conceive. Months of negative pregnancy tests and resulting heartache continued as Wade and Christina followed their doctor’s recommendations. They tried everything from various medications, IUI and acupuncture to eating all organic foods, eliminating toxins from their home, replacing Christina’s makeup and skin care with all non-toxic products and recently beginning alternative medicine, using Chinese herbs. A couple of years and thousands of dollars later, the couple’s doctor informed them, that while he never expected them to reach this point, his best recommendation is IVF, based on the unexplained lack of success with other treatment options. The couple knew IVF was not an option they could afford and reluctantly decided to take time off from fertility treatments.
In the midst of the couple’s struggle, they heard about the Parental Hope Family Grant and anxiously applied, hoping for a chance to follow their doctor’s recommendation to try IVF. They agreed that this would be the only grant they would apply to, given the financial hardship brought on by the combination of infertility bills and unexpected large expenses. After months of praying and almost giving up hope, God answered the couple’s prayers and the two were, unexpectedly, one of the couples awarded this grant.
“We feel so blessed to be a part of the Parental Hope family and thankful that Parental Hope has renewed our dream of starting a family of our own. We thank God every day, for bringing us together, keeping us strong, blessing us with this opportunity and answering our prayers.”
Haily & Jake
Shelbyville, KY
Haily and Jake met at the University of Louisville in 2008. Seven years later, they tied the knot. After marrying, they took a year to focus on their marriage, careers, and enjoyed a little travel.
Haily, a registered nurse, and Jake, a technician, they decided to start a family. After a year with no success, they decided to seek help from a fertility specialist at the University of Louisville Fertility Clinic. They were diagnosed with unexplained fertility. The most logical next step was to start with IUI, but after six unsuccessful rounds, they were nowhere closer to having a child. After a lot of consideration and knowing going in debt was the only option, they tried IVF in August 2018. Four mature eggs, one embryo, and a lot of stress later, their miracle didn’t come. It was devastating. Financially and emotionally the “one shot” took a lot out of them, so they decided to take a break.
Every day since, they have prayed for a way to start again. Haily’s mom kept talking about the Institute for Reproductive Health, their success stories, and a grant program offered by Parental Hope. The grant was the answer they were looking for!
“We are so incredibly blessed and humbled by receiving this grant! You have given us hope again. Thank you, Parental Hope!”
Jennifer & Christian
Indianapolis, IN
Christian and Jennifer originally met in college but didn’t start dating until many years after graduating. They dated for several years, got married, and then wanted to start a family shortly thereafter. After six months of trying, they decided to seek out an infertility specialist. In fact, they ended up consulting several different fertility specialists but no one could ever find anything wrong. Everything was “normal.” After numerous tests, exams, and consultations, they were diagnosed with unexplained infertility. There was no clear reason given for their struggles to conceive, which left them frustrated. They were frustrated that no one seemed to be able to given them an answer or explain ‘why’ this was happening, but still hopeful that they might be able to conceive naturally one day. After 5+ years of trying various infertility treatments, they decided to seek the help of the Institute for Reproductive Health.
In their first IVF attempt, they were blessed with a positive pregnancy test and welcomed healthy twins 9 months later!
In an effort to grow their family, Christian and Jennifer again tried for months to conceive naturally but were unsuccessful. They sought the help of IRH again, hoping the treatments would quickly solve their fertility concerns as they had in the past. They tried multiple IVF and/or FET cycles but have been unsuccessful in adding to their family. The medication, treatments, financial burden, and stress were mounting. Luckily, they still have one frozen embryo and a chance at making their dreams come true.
“We chose to attend the Journey for Parenthood event and were so grateful for being the winners of the FET Raffle. The financial support of Parental Hope is a true blessing, and we are truly amazed at the positive work Parental Hope is doing to support so many people struggling with infertility.”
Jessica & Steve
Lexington, KY
Jessica and Steve tell everyone they are high school sweethearts because they met while both teaching at the same high school 10 years ago. Steve teaching geometry and Jessica teaching choir, they started dating in the Fall of 2011 after three years of friendship. They used their relationship as an example to their students, encouraging friendship, respect, and support in a relationship. Those same students helped them plan their wedding on March 30, 2013 in Lexington, KY.
For almost six years, their friends and family would ask when they were going to have kids. They would smile and say “our students are our kids!” As educators, this is true and they love their students very much, but they knew this response was also hiding the pain of trying and hoping and praying for so long without receiving the gift of a child. After surgery for endometriosis, hormone therapy, IUI and so much more, they are hopeful that IVF will be the method that allows them to become parents.
Through the Parental Hope raffle process, “Team Go Greene” (including former students), showed tremendous support both emotionally and financially, and they remain overwhelmed with the love they have received!
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD,” plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
“We believe that Parental Hope is a part of God’s plan for our life and we are so thankful for the opportunity to see our dream realized through the generosity of Mindi & Kevin Huber, the support of Parental Hope and the prayers of family and friends.”
Jessie & Zack
Rising Sun, IN
This pair met at Zack’s family’s restaurant when Jessie applied for a job in high school. It was all history from there and they have been together for 10 years and married six.
Nearing the end of Jessie’s nursing school journey, the couple decided it was time to begin trying to start a family and if it didn’t happen immediately, they had gotten a head start on the attempt…but surely it would happen, right? After about a year of no success, they decided it was time to seek help. After much testing, they received a diagnosis of male factor infertility. With the help of the Institute for Reproductive Health, they attempted an IVF cycle. Their first IVF attempt was unsuccessful. No pregnancy and no frozen embryos. The couple was devastated and decided it was best to take some time to figure out the next steps and wait for a sign to try again. The financial aspect of this process was burden enough the first time, let alone trying to figure out how to afford a second IVF cycle. In this nearly two year wait, Zack started a new job as an apprentice lineman and Jessie was able to go back to school to complete her bachelor’s degree to become a registered nurse.
“We had known about the grant last year but didn’t make the deadline, so this year, we knew we had to apply. We are so thankful we did. Looking back, I really feel like our first attempt wasn’t our time, but this time, we have HOPE.”
As Thomas Rhett sings, “You never know what’s gonna happen. You make your plans and you hear God laughing.” With each trial we have faced, we are reminded that these simply aren’t our plans but God’s plans and there is a lesson to be learned with all of them.
Katie & Jason
Elsemere, KY
Jason and Katie were high school sweethearts. They grew up in the same town, went to the same schools, and dated their senior year of high school. They were married in 2006 and after many years of not being able to get pregnant, they were referred to the Institute for Reproductive Health in 2014. They continued on their infertility journey. After multiple labs and tests they fell into the category of “unexplained infertility.”
There were no clear cut answers to why they couldn’t get pregnant, only that it wasn’t working. Jason and Katie decided to move forward with IUI. After completing four IUIs they were no closer to their dreams of becoming parents. They found themselves faced with a huge decision. Their insurance did not offer infertility coverage and everything up until this point had been paid out of pocket. IVF was being recommended and came with a rather large price tag. After much consideration, Jason and Katie took out a loan and began the IVF process. They transferred one embryo, but had an early miscarriage. Jason and Katie then transferred their two remaining frozen embryos, but again, experienced an early miscarriage. They regrouped mentally and physically before starting their second round of IVF. This time, they transferred two fresh embryos and had none to freeze. One embryo finally stuck and the couple welcomed their amazing daughter in 2016. While Jason and Katie felt very fortunate and blessed to have their daughter, their hearts continued to ache and dreamed of expanding their family.
With their financial resources exhausted they applied for the Parental Hope Grant in 2018, however, they were not chosen as a recipient. Not ready to give up hope, they again applied for the Grant in 2019 and this time, their luck had changed and was chosen!
“Our dream is that through this gift from Parental Hope, we will be able to give our daughter a sibling. Thank you, Parental Hope!”
Kayla & Zac
Georgetown, KY
Kayla and Zac came to know each other shortly after high school through a mutual friend and the help of Facebook. Shortly after meeting, they started dating and eventually married. Kayla, a nurse, and Zac, an electrician, started trying for a family. For nearly four years at every family function, they would get asked when they were going to have kids. They always responded, “It will happen when it’s supposed to happen!” Their family had no idea that Kayla and Zac had been struggling with infertility. Clomid, monitored cycles, Femara and 1 IUI failure. They knew IVF was the answer, but not sure how they were going to afford it.
In January, Kayla started researching grants and programs that might be able to help them with the financial burden that comes with IVF. She stumbled upon Parental Hope and the IVF raffle that was taking place at their upcoming Journey to Parenthood event. After discussing with Zac, the couple decided to move forward with entering the raffle. The couple tried not to get their hopes up as they knew the chances of winning were slim.
“We believe that we were led to this raffle for a reason. It was meant to be. Our chance of becoming parents and having the family we have planned for are finally within reach.”
Megan & Dragan
Florence, KY
Megan and Dragan met in June 2007 at a Relay for Life Walk event in Megan’s hometown; they began dating that September. They were engaged in February 2014 and married in October of the same year. Seven months after getting married they decided that they wanted to expand their family and began to try to conceive naturally. After months of trying, tears, negative pregnancy tests and fear that something serious could be wrong, they decided it was time to talk a doctor.
Megan spoke with her doctor who ran the typical blood tests and ultrasounds; the tests revealed that she had polyps and fibroid tumors. After having surgery to remove the polyps and fibroid tumors, Megan and Dragan finally hoped they were on the right path to conceive naturally. After a few more months of trying and still having negative pregnancy tests, a semen analysis was ordered for Dragan. The test came back abnormal and they were referred to a specialist. Dragan was provided a list of vitmains to take and was prescribed Clomid. Another few months passed and another semen analysis revealed that the medications had helped but not enough for them to ever be able to conceive naturally and the numbers were not high enough to try IUI and we would immediately have to move forward with IVF.
In August of 2017, they first met with Dr. Scheiber at the Institute for Reproductive Health and discussed the process of IVF and more tests were ran; more Fibroid tumors were found and removed before the process could even begin. Megan and Dragan decided to wait until the start of 2018 to begin their first cycle. Their first cycle ended in a negative and in August 2018, their second cycle ended in an early miscarriage. They were devastated and completely heartbroken. They felt that they had come so far on this journey for it to end without having the child that they both desperately wanted. Megan learned about Parental Hope and was following their website and social media accounts when the Journey to Parenthood 2019 event was announced with the chance to win an IVF cycle. The night of the Journey to Parenthood event Megan and Dragan were completely shocked and grateful that they won one of the four IVF cycles that were awarded that night.
“Receiving this amazing opportunity to try to expand our family is an answered prayer and we are extremely grateful to Parental Hope and IRH. We are very excited to start to continue our journey.”
Nancy & Jeff
Cincinnati, OH
Jeff asked Nancy to be his girlfriend in 1999 at the innocent age of 14. They had previously met as young children with their families being lifelong friends. After three years of dating, the sweethearts decided to go separate ways. Fast forward about 10 years later, and Jeff asked Nancy to be his girlfriend again. In 2015, they got married during a vacation to South Carolina surrounded by family and friends.
Jeff is a waterjet machinist and Nancy is an elementary school counselor. While they’re not busy working or helping others, they enjoy spending time outdoors and time with their dog, Hemi. Nancy and Jeff always dreamed of raising children, especially alongside their nieces and nephews. After trying to get pregnant on their own for over a year and a half, they began seeking answers.
All medical tests came back normal and medications were tried for months without success. They were eventually referred to a fertility specialist where Nancy was diagnosed with low ovarian reserve and endometriosis. Even though infertility was not covered by insurance, they decided to move forward with treatment. Appointments, medications, injections, surgery, acupuncture, procedures, and heartache became their new norm. Four years, five failed IUIs, and thousands of dollars later, conversations about IVF began. They had no idea how they’d begin to pay for IVF and felt discouraged.
“We found out about the Parental Hope grant three days before it was due and gave it our all. Our prayers were answered through the gracious angels of Parental Hope. We feel supported more than ever and are forever grateful for this opportunity. For those still trying to find hope, we pray that you find peace in the testimonies of others. Our faith in God and one another has held us together throughout all of life’s challenges. Thank you, Parental Hope, for creating such a beautiful, generous, and hopeful organization for couples like us!”
Rebecca & Eric
Kettering, OH
Eric and Rebecca met through mutual friends during the summer of 2009. Eric, a respiratory therapist, enjoys anything outdoors including fishing, hunting and gardening. Rebecca, a human resources manager, loves crafting, knitting, and her guilty pleasure is reality television. The couple soon started dating after meeting and have been together ever since. The couple was married in 2016. While the couple was dating Rebecca found out that she had a large pedunculated fibroid that needed to be removed. After the myomectomy was performed, they found out that the fibroid weighed 2.1 lbs. This was the beginning of her reproductive medical issues.
On their honeymoon, the couple went to Jamaica where Rebecca contracted the Zika virus. At the time it was devastating waiting to start a family. The couple decided to be married a full year before they started trying to conceive. After six months of trying naturally with no luck, Rebecca went to see her doctor to see if he had any answers that would help. The couple tried three rounds of Clomid before seeking help from the fertility clinic. After testing the couple, Rebecca and Eric found out that to have children, they would have to start the IVF process. Rebecca had uterine polyps, an endometrioma on her right ovary, and her fallopian tubes were blocked. Wanting a family, Rebecca and Eric decided to take the steps necessary to start IVF. During the process, the couple ended up with one viable embryo after pregenetic testing. After the transfer, they learned that the IVF round was unsuccessful.
That is when Eric did some research and found Parental Hope. The couple is looking forward to continuing their journey to start a family with the help from Parental Hope.
Stephanie & Brandon
Cincinnati, OH
Stephanie and Brandon met when they were in high school and became good friends. They began dating the summer of 2011. Their families would joke that they were attached at the hip and one couldn’t do anything without the other. They truly were inseparable and anyone who knew them, said that their love was going to be forever. They were married in 2017 and have been together nine years. Stephanie is currently employed at the Hamilton County Justice Center and is pursing her bachelors degree in criminal justice. Brandon is an automotive technician.
When Stephanie was 19, she thought she was having pregnancy “scares.” After going to the doctor she was diagnosed with a severe form of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). She was told it wouldn’t be impossible for her to have children, but it might be hard and she would need some help. Stephanie ended up having a laparoscopy to check for endometriosis. Her doctor told her the good news was that she didn’t have endometriosis, but instead, he discovered she had a condition called severe pelvic congestion which he had never seen in anyone her age in his 35 plus years of practice. This condition is usually only found in woman who have had at least 1-2 pregnancies, and Stephanie had never been pregnant before. She later ended up finding out she had a slightly tilted uterus. They did an HSG test and found her tubes were clear so Stephanie and Brandon tried to get pregnant for three years with fertility medication and the assistance of her OB/GYN, never successfully falling pregnant.
After years of no success, Stephanie and Brandon were then referred to the Institute of Reproductive Health. They went through six failed IUI’s over a year and a half before they were told that IVF would likely be their best option. Stressed with the financial burden that comes with IVF, Stephanie and Brandon came across the Parental Hope Grant. After their sixth failed IUI and the financial burden of IVF hanging over them, they knew Parental Hope may be their last chance for a family.
“Going through the struggle of infertility is no easy journey, and we are lucky enough to have each other though this battle. Now, we’ve been able to add the Parental Hope family to our journey! We cannot thank Parental Hope enough for the incredible opportunity they have given us and we’re blessed beyond belief to have them by our side. They have restored our Hope in once again possibly being able to have a family!”
Amy & Michael
Harold, KY
Amy, a registered nurse, and Michael, an insurance agent, met through mutual friends in 2008 and quickly became best friends. They are members of Jubilee Christian Assembly of God and enjoy actively working in the church and spending time with their dog, Maggie. Amy and Michael officially began their relationship in 2010 a year later. After one year of marriage they decided to start a family and when that didn’t happen as planned, Amy saw a fertility specialist. The treatment options discussed, however, were not affordable.
In 2015, Amy had an exploratory laparoscopy surgery with no abnormalities found. Michael also had normal test results and the couple received a diagnosis of unexplained infertility. Since then, the couple has completed 22 rounds of fertility medications with no luck and no answers. Finally, after seven years of this infertility struggle, Amy crossed paths with a woman who told her how Parental Hope helped her daughter conceive.
“We are so thankful and blessed to be given this opportunity. The financial burden of IVF just wasn’t feasible for us and this grant is the greatest gift we have ever received.”
Ashley & Brandon
Dayton, OH
Ashley and Brandon met on a blind date seven years ago and after a couple months, began dating. Three years later, Ashley and Brandon were married and knew they wanted to start a family right away. Family means everything to them as growing up traditions, laughter, and loving is what they could not wait for.
In 2016, their infertility journey began. After a couple months of trying, Ashley decided to see her OBGYN to figure out what was going on. It was recommend that they see an infertility specialist. Test results came back that both Ashley and Brandon had issues. After talking with the doctor’s and hearing treatment options, they decided to move forward with IUI. They did three IUIs that first year, but unfortunately no pregnancy. Their doctor recommended IVF as next steps. “Hearing that IVF was our best option was a lot to swallow as the only thing holding us back from the family we hoped and dreamed of was the expense of it.” Said Ashley. With the help of family and friends, they started IVF in 2018. That IVF cycle resulted in nine viable embryos, and the couple did their first transfer. A couple of weeks later, they found out they were pregnant! Seven weeks later, Ashley and Brandon got the news that they had a miscarriage.
The why’s, hopes and tears, set in. After a couple of months of grief and pain, they spoke with their doctor to see what the next steps were and decided to go in for round two. Spring of 2019 Ashley and Brandon went in for transfer. A couple weeks later, they found out that the cycle was negative. They took some time to grieve and lean on one another as well as try to figure out how they were going to have the family they always wanted. Ashley and Brandon worked and collected every coin they could so they could try again.
In January 2020, Ashley and Brandon decided to transfer 2 embryos. Two weeks later, they got the exciting news they were pregnant! At their first ultrasound, they found out that there were two sac’s. At the following ultrasound, they found out that one sac was strong and the other was too early. The bad news came at the next checkup that one baby had passed and the other had a low heartbeat. A week later, Ashley and Brandon found out they had miscarried again. They were devastated, heartbroken, and at a loss for words. Their doctor wanted to do some more testing and discovered there were more infertility issues. With five embryos remaining, Ashley and Brandon weren’t sure when they’d be able to do another transfer as the financial burden was starting to take a toll. Then, Ashley read about Parental Hope, and decided to apply.
“Our journey of sadness and disappointment over the last four years have now turned into HOPE. We are so excited to be given this opportunity by David and Jennifer and the Parental Hope family. We want to thank the generous donors who open up their hearts to donate. We will never be able to say thank you enough to all the donors and the Parental Hope family for this opportunity to give us the family we have always hoped for.”
Briana & Wesley
Dry Ridge, KY
Briana and Wesley have been married for 10 years and together for 13. Briana, a preschool teachers assistant and, Wesley, a construction worker, love the outdoors. Wesley plays golf and many other sports and Briana loves photography. They always knew they wanted kids and it was a discussion that happened quite frequently. In 2010 after getting engaged, Briana went for a normal OB/GYN appointment, but with questions. At that appointment, Briana was diagnosed with PCOS. The couple tried with medication for a few years, but then decided to go a step further and seek support from a Reproductive Endocrinoloigst.
After further testing, it was determined that Wesley had male-factor infertility. Briana and Wesley tried IUIs, but unfortunately, were unsuccessful. After months and months of various medications and surgeries, they decided to take a break for a while. Briana and Wesley didn’t want to give up on their dream of parenthood, but financially, they couldn’t afford IVF, which was the next step. One day, they got a call from a friend that she saw a place called parental Hope on the news and if you apply, you could receive an IVF Grant. Right away, Briana and Wesley knew they had to give it a shot. They applied for the Grant and began telling family and friends.
“On March 6th at the Spring For Hope event, our world changed. All the prayers, tears and donations worked as our names were called as recipients of a Grant!”
Brittany & Jimmy
Cincinnati, OH
Brittany and Jimmy began dating their sophomore year at Xavier University. After college, Jimmy moved back to his hometown of Chicago for three years, while Brittany stayed in Cincinnati. They navigated a long distance relationship during this time and were very excited when Jimmy moved back to Cincinnati. After dating for nine years, Brittany and Jimmy got married in 2016.
Brittany is an elementary teacher and Jimmy works in sports sales. They are both very close with their families, and they love spending time with their dog, Bryzzo. They both grew up with three kids in their families, so they had always dreamed of having children themselves.
After two years of being married, they decided it was time to grow their family. When things weren’t happening as quickly as they expected, they reached out to her doctor. After many tests, Brittany began taking a thyroid medicine, femera, and medicine for suspected PCOS. After no success, they went to see specialists at the Institute for Reproductive Health.
Even though they didn’t have fertility coverage in their insurance, they continued with three rounds of IUI. After a miscarriage, an ectopic pregnancy, and surgery for endometriosis, doctors suggested IVF would give them the best chance for success.
Brittany and Jimmy weren’t sure how they were going to be able to afford IVF, but Brittany’s friend told her about Parental Hope and the grants they award at their annual Spring For Hope event. Brittany and Jimmy gathered their team of family and friends for support. They felt so blessed and excited when they were chosen as recipients of an IVF grant at the Spring for Hope event.
“We are beyond grateful to Parental Hope for providing us with this chance to become parents and are hopeful for the future!”
Cara & Kevin
Cincinnati, OH
Cara and Kevin attended the same school since the sixth grade, but didn’t become friends until high school where Kevin played basketball and Cara was a cheerleader. Keeping in touch occasionally throughout college, the pair finally went out on a date when they graduated and have since celebrated 12 years of marriage. Kevin is a client manager for an asset protection firm. Cara is a human resources manager for an events company.
Cara and Kevin knew they wanted children right away and after a year of trying without success, they were diagnosed with male factor infertility. The very first round of IVF found the couple pregnant with twin girls. Kasiah and Kaydence were born prematurely at 24 weeks. Sadly, their baby girls passed away the day after their birth leaving the two completely devastated. About two years later, Cara and Kevin were able to try again with another IVF cycle and gave birth to a healthy baby boy, Kaden.
After the births of their children, Cara began having severe abdominal pains. Years later, a specialist diagnosed Cara with a condition called Adenomyosis. After two surgeries, Cara is very thankful to be pain free. Since there is no cure, Cara will eventually have to have a hysterectomy. Cara and Kevin want to continue building their family while they’re still able and give their son the sibling his little heart desires.
“We’ve battled with infertility our entire marriage with extreme highs and lows. Our faith, love for each other, and our support system are what has helped us to hang in there and not give up. Even though it’s been a very difficult journey, we wouldn’t change anything. Our challenges, have shaped us into who we are today; a resilient family who has learned to cherish and be thankful for every single day. We are beyond grateful to be a part of the Parental Hope family and receive a grant that will allow us the opportunity to try again.”
Destani & Derek
Amelia, OH
Destani and Derek have been married for three years. Derek, a corrections officer and Destani, a social worker, enjoy the outdoors, spending time with their dogs and camping. They have struggled with infertility their entire marriage. Destani was diagnosed with endometriosis at age 16 and knew they would have issues conceiving. Since their journey started, Destani has had four endometriosis surgeries and has been on multiple endometriosis medications, hoping this would help increase their chances.
About a year into their journey, they discovered Derek has male-factor infertility, which would make conceiving even more difficult. The couple was then referred to a fertility specialist. Their doctors informed them that IUI would give them a 1% chance at parenthood, so Destani and Derek decided to pay out-of-pocket for IVF. During their IVF procedure, doctors were only able to receive two egg follicles. Both follicles fertilized and doctors transferred both embryos. Two weeks later, Destani and Derek were devastated to find out their cycle had failed.
Destani and Derek weren’t giving up on parenthood without a fight as becoming parents would mean the world to them. Not knowing how they were going to afford their next round of IVF, they found Parental Hope and decided to apply for a grant.
“We are touched beyond words to be receiving a grant for not only IVF, but for the medication as well. This is one of those experiences that we will treasure for the rest of our lives and are eternally grateful for such a generous and meaningful gift to our family. Parental Hope’s generosity has allowed us to keep the faith and have hope that we will win this fight!”
Giselle & Virgilio
Dayton, OH
Heather & Tyler
Vevay, IN
Heather and Tyler met in high school, but didn’t officially start dating until 2012 and have been inseparable since. They married June 30, 2018 in their small hometown. Tyler is a mortgage loan officer and Heather owns a salon/boutique with her sister. They enjoy spending time outdoors, either boating at the lake or camping.
Immediately after marriage, Heather and Tyler started trying for a family. After already being diagnosed with endometriosis several years ago, Heather started with three rounds of Clomid. Last year, they decided to seek help from a fertility specialist and from there, Heather was diagnosed with cervical stenosis. After several tests and surgeries, they did three rounds of IUI, all resulting in negative tests. So, they decided to move forward with IVF.
Heather and Tyler’s IVF cycle resulted in one perfect embryo and were ecstatic to learn the transfer was successful. The medications, injections, early morning appointments, blood work and surgeries were all finally worth it! At their six-week appointment, the doctors were certain the pregnancy wasn’t viable and at eight weeks, it was confirmed. More heartbreak.
“We’ve made it through this journey with patience, prayers, a supportive family, each other and the refusal to never give up hope! We look forward to continuing our journey to parenthood and are so grateful to receive this grant! Thank you Parental Hope!”
Julie & Chris
Cedar Hill, MO
Julie & Chris met each other at a bonfire. Both were going through some challenging times and have been inseparable since that first night. You might call that fate. Who could have foreseen that 6.5 years later they would be married three years, settled in to a new home and enjoying fulfilling careers. Chris is an automotive mechanic and Julie helps uninsured pregnant women in her community obtain medical coverage through the state of Missouri. They enjoy the outdoors, family & friends, music and their two dogs. Chester is a rescue Miniature Pinscher who recently turned 19 and Nola is a Boston Terrier with tons of personality.
When they finally felt comfortable enough to begin their journey to start a family, they knew Julie’s advanced maternal age could create some barriers to success. After trying for one year, they sought out the advice of a specialist for Julie’s suspected endometriosis. After lots of testing and a diagnostic laparoscopy, zero abnormalities were discovered. They turned their attention to Chris. Two semen analyses later and the worst-case scenario was confirmed. Chris was diagnosed with Azoospermia (absence of sperm). With medical insurance covered $0 of treatment, they had some hard choices to make. They had to grieve the loss of a biological child and the simple and fun way of bringing a baby into this world. Fortunately, they came out on the other side of depression ready to take action and to tackle this head on.
They began treatment with a Reproductive Endocrinologist. She recommended IUI with donor sperm or IVF. Since everything looked good on Julie’s end, they proceed with IUI and donor sperm. After three unsuccessful attempts, one of which was pretty traumatizing, they were at the end of the road with IUI. By some kind of miracle after a few medications for Chis, he had one semen analysis show some possibility to produce biological children. Finally some good news! They vowed to pay down the debt they have acquired trying IUI and move forward with IVF.
Julie spent hours researching the best clinics for IVF in Missouri. She spoke to several clinics getting financial quotes along the way. She was researching ways to help with the cost of IVF and came across IVF grants. Julie soon found not all IVF grants were made equal. They did not quality for so many for one reason or another. She found Parental Hope and suddenly it seemed like a possibility, so they applied.
“The “Hope” in Parental Hope is so appropriate. What a blessing to take a huge part of the stress and worry away from an already so arduous journey, a journey that touched every aspect of life. The Parental Hope Grant has changed our whole perspective. We can now just focus on the task at hand. The pressure of the financial part is gone. It has helped us regain some of ourselves back and breathe a sigh of relief.”
“Parental Hope has helped us find our flame again. We know the road ahead is bumpy but we feel like we are not in this alone. We are overjoyed to be a part of the Parental Hope Family.”
Megan & Taylor
Cox's Creek, KY
Megan and Taylor have been married for six years. Megan is a dental hygienist and Taylor works for Papa John’s as a quality control analyst (aka pizza scientist.) They have two pups named Tinley and Chewie. Taylor and Megan enjoy working out together and exploring the bourbon trail, where they live. They met in 2011 while attending the University of Louisville. Megan gave Taylor a ride to church and the rest was history. After dating for three years while in college, they got engaged and married in 2014.
After three years of being married, they wanted to start a family. Due to Megan having Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, they didn’t wait long before having tests done to try to see why they hadn’t gotten pregnant yet. Soon after, they found out they were not getting pregnant due to male-factor infertility. They were told due to the severity, IVF was the only option for pregnancy. Due to cost, that was not something that was feasible for them. Three years later, a friend of Megan’s reached out to her to let her know about a grant program that she had heard about. Taylor and Megan decided it was worth a shot to apply and they are so happy that they did!
Rachael & Jeffry
Ft. Wayne, IN
Samantha & Nicholas
Bennington, IN
Samantha and Nick have been together for 10 years and married for two. Samantha is a banker and Nick is an electrical technician. The couple enjoys spending time with family, playing with their two boxers, Odin & Freya, watching football and love anything to do with history. Nick enjoys golfing, bowling, and working outside around the home. Samantha enjoys crafting, bowling, and taking care of their dogs and cats.
Nick has two children from his first marriage, and they had always talked about adding to their little family. They decided in early 2014 to start trying. Unfortunately, over the next two years they had two miscarriages within six months of each other. They decided after the second miscarriage to stop trying and focus on Samantha’s mental health after being diagnosed with post-partum depression. The couple took the next year and a half to recover emotionally and focused on their relationship.
In 2018, Samantha and Nick got married and began talking about growing their family once more. They knew financially they couldn’t afford IVF. In January 2019, Samantha underwent laparoscopic surgery to see if there had been issues from her miscarriages and to investigate the abdominal pain she had been experiencing for several years. Her doctor found that her left fallopian tube was completely closed due to scar tissue from her ectopic pregnancy. Samantha and Nick’s chances of conceiving were now even lower.
For the next nine months, they couple tried IUI procedures with different medications ranging from oral to injectables. After no success, Samantha and Nick decided it was time to stop treatments and start looking deeper into IVF. Unfortunately, IVF was not a financial option for them. They began researching IVF grants and found Parental Hope’s FaceBook page. From there, they attended Parental Hope’s Spring for Hope Gala for a chance at the IVF raffle. Samantha and Nick learned more about Parental Hope and the ways the organization helps couples achieve their dreams through donations and grants.
“We decided after the spring raffle, we would apply for the fall grant and thankfully, we were chosen to receive a grant. We are beyond grateful and excited to be given this opportunity and a chance to make our dreams of parenthood a reality.”
Shelby & Nathan
Morehead, KY
Shelby and Nathan met in high school. Nathan had just moved to Kentucky from Florida and six months later, they started dating. They continued dating throughout college and were married in June of 2013. Because they were married at such a young age, Shelby and Nathan agreed that they wanted to wait before trying to start a family and just enjoy life and being with each other.
In 2017, they decided it was time to start trying for their first baby. One year came and went with no luck, so Shelby decided to seek help from her OB/GYN. She did a couple of tests, that included three months of taking clomid. After those three months were unsuccessful, the OB/GYN suggested that they see a Reproductive Endocrinologist. Upon seeing the RE, they completed more tests in which things appeared to be normal. They then completed two IUIs, both of which were unsuccessful. After speaking to others who had struggled with infertility, Shelby and Nathan learned about the Institute for Reproductive Health (IRH) and had all of their medical records transferred. They underwent another IUI, and after it failed, decided to have Shelby complete a laparoscopy to check for endometriosis. Turns out, Shelby had endometriosis, which was removed during a surgical procedure. They did one final IUI, which was also unsuccessful.
Feeling discouraged, Shelby and Nathan wondered how they would manage to pay for IVF after already paying what felt like a second mortgage in fertility treatments. On their last trip to IRH, Shelby just happened to look on the IRH Facebook page and saw a post shared about an IVF Grant from Parental Hope. After debating for a few weeks about whether or not to do it, they decided to go for it. Up until this point, they had shared their infertility struggles with very few close friends and some family. After making an initial Facebook post about their struggle, Shelby and Nathan were overwhelmed with love and support.
“Opening up about our struggle with infertility has been one of the best things we could have ever done. We feel like such a weight has been lifted off of our shoulders. This may not be how we envisioned our journey to become parents would go, but we know that this is all a part of God’s plan for us. We were over the moon excited whenever we were announced as IVF grant recipients at the Spring for Hope Event. We can’t say enough good things about this organization and are so very thankful for this opportunity. We are looking forward to our future and are filled with such HOPE!
Amber & Dustin
Hanover, IN
Amber worked for the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS) for over 3 years, and is now an Elementary Special Education Teacher in the town where she grew up. Dustin is an Inside Sales Representative for a stainless steel producer, where he has been employed for 8 years. Amber is from Vevay, IN, and Dustin is from Atlanta, GA. They currently reside in Hanover, IN with their 3 dogs, Harley, Hazel, and Oliver. Amber and Dustin met at Eastern Kentucky University in 2011, when their roommates introduced them on a blind date, and have been inseparable since. They married in 2017 and immediately started trying for a family.
After trying to conceive for one year with no luck, Amber and Dustin began seeking out fertility specialists. They quickly learned the chances of conceiving on their own were very slim. In 2018, they were advised that InVitro Fertilization (IVF) would be the best chance at starting a family. Amber was diagnosed with a Prolactinoma, which is now managed with medication, and also struggles to ovulate without assistance from medication. Dustin was diagnosed with male factor infertility. Despite the barriers, Amber and Dustin completed three rounds of intrauterine insemination (IUI), numerous labs, ultrasounds, medications, vitamins, tests, injections, etc.
“It has been a long four-year journey, to say the least, but we are BEYOND excited for this opportunity that Parental Hope has presented us!! We would not be here without the love, assistance, and support that ALL of our friends and family have given us!!! We are forever grateful to Parental Hope, and to our loved ones, and we cannot wait to get started on this journey!!!”
Bethany & Jenna
Oregon, OH
Becoming parents is something Bethany and Jenna have always dreamed of — It has always been a part of their plan, however, they never expected how difficult the journey to becoming pregnant would be.
Bethany works as a middle school teacher while Jenna is the head of creative at a local newspaper. The couple has been together for over seven years now. In 2017, Bethany was diagnosed with a uterine fibroid the size of a grapefruit, which caused her to undergo a partial hysterectomy. She was very fortunate to keep both of her ovaries, in hopes that Jenna could carry one of her eggs to term in the future. After healing, they started fertility treatments.
The couple has been trying to start their family for two years now. After multiple cycles of hormones, several failed IUI’s, and lots (LOTS) of tears — their doctors claimed the couple to have unexplained infertility and were told the next step in growing their family would be IVF.
As their insurance covers nothing and financial options have been exhausted on their previous procedures, the couple started researching grants and came across Parental Hope and immediately applied.
“We were amazed that an organization such as Parental Hope even exists. When we received the phone call about receiving one of the grants; we were in complete shock. We still can’t believe it. It feels incredibly surreal that our dreams of becoming parents are closer than ever before thanks to Parental Hope! This foundation was the answer to our prayers and we will be forever grateful!”
Christina & Jonathan
Lexington, KY
Meet Christina, a kindergarten teacher, and Jonathan, a farrier, from Lexington, KY. They both love their jobs and happy to have found a career path that is fulfilling. Christina and Jonathan met on the Shotgun Team at the University of Kentucky their senior year and have been inseparable ever since. They started dating, were engaged, and married in less than a year! Married for almost 6 years, they have two golden doodles, Woodford and Ollie, and a cat named Kitty. Christina and Jonathan enjoy spending time with their fur babies, family, and friends. They are always on the go and love doing anything outdoors – kayaking, hiking, walking, etc.
Shortly after Christina and Jonathan were married, they started trying for a family. They knew that with Christina’s family history of infertility and hormone imbalances, they didn’t have time to waste. After six months with no luck, Christina reached out to her OB/GYN and was diagnosed with PCOS. They began trying Clomid, Femara, and other fertility medications to no avail. After about three years of different fertility medications, Christina and Jonathan decided to stop trying for a little while to reset, work on their mental health, and grow in their relationship as a couple. Once they were ready again, the couple applied for the Parental Hope Family Grant through the Spring Raffle in 2020. Unfortunately, they weren’t chosen as a recipient. But, Christina and Jonathan continued to have faith and hope that their time was coming. They tried lots of different diets and supplements to try and conceive without medication, but nothing seemed to work.
“Fast forward to January 2021. We decided to apply again for a Family Grant through Parental Hope and we were chosen! We are so excited to start this journey and hope that it will bring us our long awaited and desired baby!”
Emily & Brandon
Cincinnati, OH
Emily and Brandon met when they were both out with friends on a Friday night at a local tavern eating and listening to a local band. They struck up a conversation and quickly began dating. After a short while, they knew they wanted to build a life together. Puppies, traveling, and a new home were a great start, but now they are ready for more.
Emily found out at a very young age that due to PCOS and severe endometriosis, fertility would be a challenge. Throughout her first marriage, several IUIs were attempted that resulted in miscarriages, and an emergency surgery for an ectopic pregnancy that ultimately led to losing one fallopian tube. Brandon knew of this history and has been very supportive.
Brandon himself was diagnosed with leukemia at a young age and they were unsure if his previous treatments had any impact for him to have children. After meeting with the doctors, Brandon passed his tests with flying colors! Both Emily and Brandon remain hopeful in finding options to proceed with having children, despite the obstacles.
“IVF was recommended and we began looking for assistance to help with the costs. We feel blessed to have found Parental Hope to share stories and be a support for other families going through similar emotions. Being chosen as the IVF recipients is incredibly humbling when you know so many are still struggling. We are so thankful and very excited to begin this journey to complete our family.”
Hillary & Tyler
Chillicothe, MO
Hillary was out catching fireflies at a Christian college event and dropped a handful into Tyler’s hands. From that moment on, Tyler knew he would work to win Hillary’s heart which ultimately led them to the altar to get married in 2010. Children had been Hillary’s deepest longing since childhood. After an unexpected pregnancy and miscarriage, they began the process of trying to grow their family. Unfortunately, after years of doctor appointments, multiple IUIs, medication and the diagnosis of PCOS, Endometriosis and male factor infertility, they were unable to conceive again. They felt confident God had called them to be parents, but they didn’t know how it was going to be possible.
After some time grieving, they began to discuss adoption. Tyler immediately got excited after hearing about embryo adoption and knew this would be the perfection opportunity to have the children they desired and allow Hillary the opportunity to carry a child. They eventually found themselves at the National Embryo Donation Center where donor and recipient families can be matched together. They ultimately found two families that graciously offered their embryos to grow their family and give the embryos a chance at life. In 2019, Hillary became pregnant with a little girl and everyone rejoiced with them for their sweet baby, Amari!
The joy and blessing of becoming parents filled their hearts the moment they saw their daughter! But the responsibility and weight in parenting soon became apparent when their daughter began to have medical issues resulting in a hospital stay. It took about 10 months of hard work and advocating for their daughter before things began to improve and they are happy to say Amari is now healthy.
Hillary and Tyler feel a deep sense of commitment and love for to their two remaining embryos and also have a desire to help their donor families complete their journey. Moving forward with another transfer was going to be financially very difficult due to the unexpected medical cost and loss of income. When another embryo adoption mother texted Hillary a link to the Parental Hope website, Hillary immediately began the process of applying.
“For weeks I prayed every night as I laid our daughter to bed that God would help provide for us and that maybe, just maybe Parental Hope would choose us. The moment we found out we had been chosen I burst into tears! We are filled with such overwhelming gratitude to God, the Parental Hope Team and all the financial donors! We can’t wait to go get our babies! Thank you! Thank you!”
Jennifer & Adam
Portland, TN
Jennifer, an educator, and Adam, an accountant, have been married for eight years. They both enjoy reading, spending time with their dogs, and being complete nerds. They have struggled with infertility their entire marriage having undergone multiple tests and checks to explain their infertility.
Jennifer’s OBGYN recommended fertility tests by a specialist. Since children became the focus, Jennifer has had multiple cycles with Clomid and HSG procedures. Doctors haven’t explained their infertility despite them both going through tests. They were told the next step in growing their family is IUI.
Jennifer and Adam haven’t given up on their dream of hearing little feet in their home, but the costs of IUI without insurance coverage put a pause on things. In speaking with a friend from high school, Jennifer learned about Parental Hope. Her friend had recently received an IVF grant that resulted a child. With this information and renewed hope, Jennifer and Adam applied for the grant.
“When my friend told me we won the grant, we were in shock! We sat and replayed the video with the most hope we’ve felt in a long time. We laughed and cried together, but most importantly, we thanked God for the opportunity Parental Hope gave us.”
Jessica & Jeffery
Belleville, MI
Some people find their soulmates; these two found their adorkable geekqual. Meet Jeff and Jessica in Belleville, Michigan. Jessica is a middle and high school history teacher. Jeff is a therapist at an inpatient facility helping people recovering from substance abuse. They met on Christian Mingle and quickly fell in love over shared nerdy interests like history, anime, video games, and board games. After sending many page long emails, they had their first nerd date at a museum, and the rest is history. A year later, they were married, and they now cement their nerdy status by celebrating their anniversary yearly by going to an anime convention.
Towards the end of their first year of marriage, they started trying to get pregnant. After several years of trying (including Jessica having surgery to remove an ovarian tumor found during a clomid cycle) they went to a fertility clinic for many tests and were told that their chances of conceiving naturally were incredibly slim. Disheartened, they started to look into their options. They adopted two dogs from rescue shelters, but adorable as they were, dogs just aren’t children (even though Jessica keeps buying clothes for them!). They looked into IVF, traditional adoption, and foster care, but didn’t feel called to any of those for various reasons. Then one day, Jeff heard about embryo adoption while listening to the radio, and they quickly fell in love with the idea. Unfortunately, they had a country music album’s worth of bad luck (job loss, unexpected home repairs, and emergency surgeries, to name a few things), and were struggling to save enough money for the procedure. Jessica began researching every grant and way to raise money for embryo adoption that she could find. So many grants covered traditional adoption or IVF, but very few covered embryo adoption. She was overjoyed to find out about Parental Hope and showed Jeff the grant information. Feeling very positive about what they read about the grant and its recipients, they applied for the Parental Hope embryo adoption grant.
After being medically cleared at the NEDC and starting to wonder if they would be able to afford the procedure, they found out that they received the Parental Hope grant! Many tears and tissues later, they are so incredibly excited to head into this journey and incredibly thankful for Parental Hope making this possible.
“We’ve been dreaming of starting our own family for years and have been met with nothing but disappointment for so long. Then it felt like God has opened so many doors for us over the past 6 months, and we couldn’t be more grateful for all the support and love we’ve gotten from family and friends as we started pursuing this option. Thank you, Parental Hope, for making this dream come true for us.”
Katie & Keaton
Fort Thomas, KY
Katie and Keaton are two educators who pride themselves in working with kids every day. Katie, a 3rd grade teacher in the Fort Thomas School District, is a graduate of Highlands High School and Butler University in Indianapolis, IN. Keaton is a high school special education teacher and basketball coach at Ryle High School. He graduated from Pendleton County High School and went on to play college basketball at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. They both received their Rank 1 from Northern Kentucky University. As Keaton was working on his Rank 1 in Special Education, he met Katie’s coworker in class, who played matchmaker and set them up on a blind date. The rest is history! The couple has been happily married since June 2019.
Keaton and Katie are both very close with their families. Katie grew up with two brothers and a sister. Keaton grew up with two younger brothers. They now have five nieces in the family who they love dearly. Katie’s hobbies are being outdoors, yoga, running and music. Keaton’s hobbies are golf, Cincinnati Reds baseball and coaching basketball. However, the biggest interest they share in common is they want to raise a family. They have an 8.5 year old golden retriever, Josie, who they adore, but they want Josie to be a big sister.
The couple tried on their own for a year and then decided to go a step further and seek support from the Institute for Reproductive Health. One day Keaton was scrolling on Twitter and noticed that Channel 5 News posted a tweet about how couples could apply for a chance for a grant from Parental Hope. So, they applied for the grant then on January 29th Keaton and Katie were watching the live stream of the drawing and they were the first ones called as recipients of the Grant!
“It’s a great feeling knowing that Parental Hope is willing to help out struggling couples, and we are beyond grateful! We remain hopeful as we continue to put our faith and trust in God that our biggest dream will come true- having a healthy baby.”
Kayla & Jacob
Scottsburg, IN
Jake and Kayla met in 2012 when her grandmother and his mother decided to set them up through Facebook. They talked for a few days before deciding to meet in-person. After talking for hours getting to know each other, they knew this was the start of something special!
The couple got married in 2015 and knew they wanted to start a family right away. After six months went by with no luck, they sought out an opinion from their doctor. Some testing was done and everything came back normal. Kayla’s doctor started them out with a few rounds of clomid. When that didn’t work, Jake and Kayla got referred to a fertility specialist. More testing and surgeries were completed with the diagnosis of unexplained infertility.
After a bunch of medications, injections, and IUIs, they had their first positive pregnancy test. Unfortunately, that ended quickly with a chemical pregnancy. Jake and Kayla moved onto IVF a few months later, which also sadly ended with an early miscarriage. Their second round of IVF was unsuccessful.
“After all the heartache, we needed to take time away from treatments. Here we are a few years later ready to try for a third time. We heard of Parental Hope through two of our friends who have received the grant. It was a blessing for them, so we decided to give it a shot and apply. We are so very thankful for this organization and the hope you give to couples just like us!”
Kayla & Nicholas
Harrison, IN
Kayla and Nicholas have been married for three years. Nicholas, an automotive mechanic, and Kayla, a Pharmacy Technician, both enjoy the outdoors, camping and hiking. Their infertility journey began the end of 2019.
They tried on their own for a year and a half before seeing a fertility specialist. A year into their journey, Kayla went to her OB-GYN to see about next steps, that’s when they were given referrals for nearby fertility clinics. Kayla and Nicholas weren’t quite ready for that and knew that they couldn’t do it on their own without help. Finally, December of 2019 they had their first appointment with the fertility specialist. After a few tests, they received a diagnosis of unexplained infertility.
In January 2020, they did their first IUI, which was negative. In the course of the spring/summer they did a total of three IUIs, which they decided if all three fail, they will move on to next steps. That fall, they started IVF. Kayla and Nicholas were hopeful and just knew it would work. Two embryos were transferred, which resulted in a negative. They had one left to freeze. A few months later, Kayla and Nicholas did a frozen cycle, which also resulted in a negative. They were heartbroken and unsure what to do next.
The cost of IVF was a huge factor for them, since insurance doesn’t cover any of the cost. They were going to take a break from treatment until they could save up for another IVF round. Until, they found Parental Hope and applied for a grant.
“We were so excited that we were chosen for a grant. This is an experience we will treasure and be forever grateful for. The generosity from Parental Hope has allowed us not to lose hope that our dreams of becoming parents will come true.”
Kristen & Rob
Cincinnati, OH
Kristen has worked as a special education teacher since graduating college for the past six years. Rob is a Territory Sales Manager for a steel manufacturer, where he has been employed for eight years. Kristen is from Marietta, Ohio and Rob is from Loveland, Ohio. They currently reside in Madisonville, OH with their bernedoodle, Lucy. Kristen and Rob met at Milford High School in 2008 and started dating in 2009 during their sophomore year. They have been on many adventures and cannot imagine life without one another. They married in 2017 and shortly after, started trying to grow their family.
After trying to conceive for a year and a half naturally, Kristen and Rob began seeking out fertility specialists. Through meeting with specialists Kristen and Rob tried many cycles that included different medication supports. In 2020, Kristen and Rob stopped medicated cycles and attempted two rounds of IUI. Based on lab work, Kristen was finally diagnosed with PCOS which is why it has been so difficult to conceive. After years of trying naturally, with medications, with IUIs, and lots of doctor’s appointments/ blood tests, it was determined that the best way to grow their family is through IVF.
“Through the process of trying to conceive there have been many ups and downs, but the two things that have remained constant are our faith in God and our love for one another. We feel so blessed to have crossed paths with Parental Hope and to have been given this opportunity to start growing the family we have always dreamed of. We cannot thank Parental Hope enough and are so excited to begin the next steps of our journey with them by our side along with our family and friends.”
Nicole & Michael
Crestine, OH
Nicole & Michael went to school together until high school graduation when life took then in different directions. In 2018, they reconnected when Nicole reached out to Michael on social media. Michael has two incredible children, Keegan & Karlee. It was love at first site for all of us. Nicole works as a surgery team lead for an ophthalmology practice & Michael is a machinist. They married in May of 2020 and as a family, are very active. They enjoy the outdoors with their two fur babies.
After trying to conceive on their own for two years, they were referred to a fertility specialist. IUI was recommended with a good success rate but after two failed treatments, it was determined that trying IUI again would be less than a 5% success rate. Due to Nicole’s age, it was then recommended that IVF would be the next step. Michael & Nicole began the process of looking into what would be covered by their insurance for IVF. The news was not what they hoped. There wasn’t coverage of any kind for IVF. The cost was a major factor since they have two other children to care for. Michael knew it was Nicole’s dream to have a baby, so he bang searching for possible grant options. In Michael’s search, he came across Parental Hope and they began the application process.
“We were both shocked and incredibly thankful for the opportunity Parental Hope has given us. This has forever changed our lives. We are so excited to begin this journey & we hope to add a new love to our little family.”
Vanessa & Tyler
Dry Ridge, KY
Tyler, a 7th grade Social Studies Teacher and, Vanessa, an insurance agent, married in 2014. They both love the outdoors, get-togethers with family and friends, and church on Sundays!
In 2016, the couple started trying to have children. After one year, they decided to reach out to a specialist for further assistance. They found out that it was due to male factor-infertility, so they both decided to look into IVF. However, they quickly found out the cost and knew it was something they would have to carefully consider. Fast forward to 2020, Tyler and Vanessa saw some friends receive an IVF Grant to help them on their journey to becoming parents. They both thought that was wonderful and wanted to give it a try the next year.
When it was time to apply for the IVF Grant, they approached the application process with apprehension, but knew they would never know if they never tried. Tyler and Vanessa were shocked to hear their names being called out as recipients of the IVF raffle. The couple have prayed for a baby for years and knew God had a plan for them to become parents.
“We are so thankful to God for this opportunity, and appreciate the prayers from our family and friends. Also, a big thanks to Parental Hope. What a wonderful organization and one that we will always be grateful for. That night was awesome! We love watching that video over and over; it is still so surreal. We cannot wait for this process to unravel. To God be the Glory!”
Ashleigh & Josh
Georgetown, KY
Josh and Ashleigh met in the second grade and graduated as high school sweethearts. They married on July 1st, 2015. Josh is a Detective with the Kentucky State Police, and Ashleigh is an Operations Supervisor for Fayette Heating and Air in Lexington, KY. They love the outdoors, being on the lake and spending time with their fur babies, Lego and Harley.
Josh and Ashleigh started trying to grow their family naturally in 2019. After having no luck, they reached out to their OB/GYN who suggested Clomiphene for six months. After several tests and rounds of medication, they were back to square one, with no answers and many questions. After a year, Josh and Ashleigh met with a fertility doctor in Lexington who suggested trying IUIs. After three unsuccessful rounds, they were beginning to lose all hope.
After keeping their journey private, Josh and Ashleigh started opening up to friends and family. In doing so, a friend recommended the doctors at the Institute for Reproductive Health in Cincinnati. In 2021, they met with Dr. Awadalla and he recommended the next step was IVF. A few months later, their IVF journey began. Their first transfer resulted in a chemical pregnancy. Devastated again, Ashleigh reached out to a co-worker who also struggled with infertility. That co-worker happened to be 2020 Parental Hope Family Grant Recipients and encourage Ashleigh to apply for a Grant.
“Receiving this wonderful grant is not only an answer to our prayers but it is also a huge weight lifted off of our shoulders. Josh and I cannot wait to continue our infertility journey and will forever be thankful for the Parental Hope organization for helping families like ours.”
Brittani
Charlestown, IN
Brittani is originally from Louisville, Kentucky but recently moved to Charlestown, Indiana. She is a preschool teacher and has been teaching for almost six years. Brittani has always loved working with children and being a mom is her biggest dream in life.
In May of 2021, Brittani was diagnosed with PCOS. A few months later, she had her first fertility appointment. Her doctor recommended her starting with IUI. Brittani’s first few IUI attempts resulted in chemical pregnancies. Having back to back losses was extremely devastating.
Brittani saw some information on the Parental Hope Grant and thought it couldn’t hurt to apply.
“Receiving a Grant was a huge sense of relief that my dream of becoming a mom could come true. Thank you so much parental hope for giving me this opportunity!”
Chelsea & Jack
Georgetown, KY
Jack and Chelsea met in 2013 while attending Eastern Kentucky University. After several years of dating, they got married the summer of 2019. Chelsea, a sixth grade teacher and Jack, a Corporate Recruiter, live in Georgetown, Kentucky. They enjoy spending time with family and friends.
Soon after getting married, they wanted to start a family. After a while without success, they did some diagnostic testing, and soon after, had their first IUI procedure. After three failed IUI procedures, they moved into their first IVF cycle in March 2022. After their first IVF cycle failed, with no frozen embryos, Jack and Chelsea decided to transfer clinics, to the Institute for Reproductive Health in Cincinnati for a second opinion. They completed two more IVF cycles resulting in more heartbreak.
After sharing their story publicly, several friends and family members sent them the application for the Parental Hope’s IVF grant. They decided to apply and are SO happy they did!
“While our journey has been the most difficult time of our lives, we’re not giving up on our family!”
Chyanna & Tyler
Morehead, KY
Desiree & Mike
Louisville, KY
Mike and Desiree met on their first day of college in 2007 near their hometown of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They started dating soon after, and were married in the fall of 2013. Since then, they’ve lived and worked in three U.S. time zones as Mike’s meteorology career has taken them across the country to both east and west coasts and lots of places in between. Desiree has had different jobs in each location spanning human services, retail, and childcare. They’ve seen several national parks and enjoy camping, hiking, and spending time with their water-loving chocolate lab, Lucy. This year Mike and Desiree will celebrate 10 years of marriage.
Their fertility journey began in 2013 as both wanted to start their family right after being married. Several symptoms led Desiree to undergo a diagnostic laparoscopy and find that she has endometriosis. After trying naturally for several years and a second laparoscopy, they tried two medicated IUIs. Both were unsuccessful. They were given a 1% chance of conceiving without IVF. After moving to Louisville in summer 2021, they began researching fertility clinics in the area and ways to help fund IVF. They found Parental Hope and anxiously applied for the grant hoping to be chosen as recipients.
“Parental Hope has given us renewed faith that we are not alone in our journey. We thank God for this opportunity to grow our family. To know that someone went through the harrowing path of infertility and came out on the other side willing to turn that journey into hope for others like us. We can’t describe how grateful we are for Parental Hope!”
Jillian & Donald
Loveland, OH
When Jillian and Donald found out they were expecting their little boy, they were completely ecstatic. When their son, Roman, was born, he was utterly perfect. The happiest, most easy-going child with the sweetest smile that could melt any heart. After 8 blissful months of pure joy, their world’s were completely turned upside down when their perfect baby boy was diagnosed with a very rare and often fatal genetic disease called Acid Sphingomyelinase Deficiency (ASMD), also referred to as Niemann-Pick Disease Types A/B. This disease will likely cut his life immensely short, as most children with his diagnosis don’t live past the age of three and there is currently no cure. To make matters more complicated, they found out that they were expecting their little girl just three days before learning of Roman’s diagnosis. They quickly found out that she too had a 25% chance of inheriting the same gene mutations as their son. Their beautiful, curious and bubbly little girl, Stella, was diagnosed shortly after birth and their world’s came crashing down yet again.
After fighting to get their children started on an experimental treatment for well over a year, Roman and Stella finally started receiving bi-weekly infusions at Children’s Hospital for the past two years and are doing somewhat stable health-wise. In fact, Roman just turned four in September!
They have always known they wanted to have three children, but knew that if they were to have a third it would have to be through IVF so they could test the embryos for ASMD. They started the process over a year ago, but had to put things on hold because financially they couldn’t manage it all.
“We were so thrilled to find out we received the grant from Parental Hope to start back on the journey of expanding our family. We see the special bond that Roman and Stella share and so desperately want to give them one more sibling and add that much more love into all their lives. We are so forever grateful that Parental Hope is giving us this opportunity.”
Kahlie & Philip
Longville, LA
Philip and Kahlie are both from the South—Philip is from Alabama and Kahlie is from Texas. They began to date, were engaged, and got married while they were in college. During their engagement, they both decided that they’d love to adopt one day. Their original plan, however, was to have biological children first, and then to pursue adoption. Though they “planned” this, the Lord had established a different path that would lead to the growth of their family.
Over the past 6 years of marriage, they have been in a difficult season of infertility. Through many prayers and some unsuccessful infertility treatments, the next step recommended was IVF. Instead of going through IVF cycles, though, they decided to pursue embryo adoption through NEDC.
Though they haven’t been able to have biological children, they are incredibly thankful that God has ordained embryo adoption as a means to grow their family. Any form of adoption, including embryo adoption, is not a second-class way of growing a family. They joyfully and eagerly pursued embryo adoption.
As a result of a successful embryo transfer, they gave birth to a beautiful daughter named Eliza Jane in 2021. And while they rejoice that God provided them a precious baby girl, they (all 3 of them!) are eager to grow their family through embryo adoption again.
This is where Parental Hope comes in! Because of their desire to adopt embryos, Philip and Kahlie applied for a financial grant through Parental Hope that would help out with some of the cost. Now, because Parental Hope generously awarded them with the grant, they can pursue embryo adoption. In all honesty, without this financial support, growing their family would have been a lot further down the road than they desired. They are so thankful for this opportunity!
Lana & Benjamin
Cincinnati, OH
Ben and Lana met in November 2017. After just 9 months of dating, they knew they wanted to build a life and a family together. They were married in January 2019 and just a little over a year later purchased their first home. It was shortly after this purchase and getting a bernedoodle puppy, that they decided to start trying for children.
Having watched many of their friends and family go through infertility and miscarriages, Ben and Lana’s desire was always to stay connected with each other through however long the process would take. After a year of trying, they decided to go through the process of getting checked out at IRH to be sure there were no obstacles to getting pregnant. The news came as a shock when they found out they would only be able to have biological children through IVF.
“We always knew from the time we started dating that we wanted to have children. It was such a shock to jump from thinking maybe we may need some assistance getting pregnant to our only option being IVF. Without the help of a grant like Parental Hope, we would have been hard-pressed to afford IVF.”
They are excited to start the process and complete their first transfer as soon as possible. “After trying for so long and processing the shock of the news, we are anxious to become parents and feel blessed beyond belief to be chosen for this grant!”
Ben is a Firefighter/Paramedic and Lana is a Freelance Copywriter. In their spare time, they like to rock climb, hike, play board games, and cuddle their dog, Momo.
Lisa & Ben
Cincinnati, OH
Lisa and Ben have been together for nearly 10 years and got married in 2019. Lisa is an Office Manager for a local consulting company and Ben is the Maintenance Lead for a local high school. They love to travel, hike, bike and most importantly, they love their dog, Sammy.
Three weeks before the pandemic started, they bought their first home together and began the journey of starting a family. After 11 months of trying, they decided to go to Lisa’s OB/GYN for a consultation. After completing the appropriate tests for both Lisa and Ben, it was discovered that Ben was diagnosed with azoospermia and Lisa showed nothing of concern. Following this discovery, an appointment with the Institute for Reproductive Health was scheduled. From here, they were provided the help and hope for an assisted conception.
It was recommended that Ben see a specialist—one who could provide a more in depth evaluation of his particular circumstances. After several appointments and findings, Ben underwent a surgical procedure in December 2021 to determine what had caused the azoospermia. The surgery was successful! At that point, Lisa and Ben were told the only way to conceive was through the process of in-vitro fertilization via ICSI.
While preparing to start the IVF process, Ben and Lisa both had genetic testing completed to determine if they were carriers for Cystic Fibrosis. Thankfully, they were not! However, it was discovered that Lisa was a carrier for Muscular Dystrophy. With no previous medical or family history, this was a complete shock.
Receiving this news was gut wrenching. Confusion and reality soon settled in. They were now looking at around $7,000 of additional fees for genetic testing on their future embryos. The conversation, considering the possibility to move forward, had begun. Friends recommended that Ben and Lisa apply for the Parental Hope Grant.
Receiving this grant was extraordinary for a multitude of reasons….
“Parental Hope has created a space where individuals don’t just receive funding, they receive peace of mind. The amount of pressure relieved from receiving this grant is beyond measure. We now feel like we can truly focus on the fertility side…of our infertility journey. This grant is a blessing in itself, to be able to freely communicate your journey to your peers and have them come along this with you, is at times, necessary. We are so grateful for Parental Hope and all of the opportunities they provide!”
Maggie & Anthony
Winchester, KY
Maggie and Anthony met in 2007 in high school and became quick best friends. Little did they know they would end up married in March of 2016. Anthony is a civil engineer, and Maggie teaches 8th grade Language Arts and co-hosts a true crime podcast. Both Maggie and Anthony grew up in Eastern Kentucky and still have strong ties to their family there. Together, they love to spend time with family, play with their animals, and watch movies.
Maggie and Anthony both had set goals they wanted to meet before starting a family. When those goals were achieved they began trying in 2018. The couple was ecstatic when eight months later they were blessed with a positive pregnancy test. Sadly, they would go on to miscarry at eight weeks. They were devastated.
Through the process of miscarriage, Maggie was diagnosed with endometriosis. Months passed, then a year went by and no positive pregnancy test. The couple reached out to their OB/GYN and were told to try Clomid. They did for several months with no success. They were assured that IUIs were the solution to their infertility. Three IUIs later they still had no baby. The couple was then referred to IRH. After meeting with Dr. Awadalla, it was determined that IVF would be the best route for them to take.
The team at IRH retrieved 37 eggs on retrieval day and 22 of those made it to the stage to be frozen for transfer. Maggie and Anthony had their first transfer on July 7, 2022. Several people they know had gotten pregnant with their first IVF transfer and they knew they would too. Sadly, though, the first transfer was unsuccessful. They were then told that genetic testing was recommended on their remaining embryos. That cost plus the cost of a frozen embryo transfer was unmanageable given all the other infertility bills the two are still paying.
That’s when IRH recommended Parental Hope. They applied for the 2022 Fall grant on the recommendation of the nursing staff at IRH.
“We have never hidden our struggles with infertility because when we first started down this road, we felt so alone. We never want anyone going through this to think they are battling alone. Parental Hope has welcomed us into the support system we always needed. Without the help of Parental Hope we feared that our lives would never be complete because we long to be parents. But now that we are receiving this assistance we finally feel a sense of hope that one day our dreams will come true. Parental Hope has not only created a peace of mind during our financial hardships, they have also provided a peace of mind during the hardest season of our lives through their unending love and support. Thank you, Parental Hope!”
Meagen & Travis
Nicholasville, KY
Meagen and Travis met 12 years ago and became not only high school sweethearts, but best friends. Meagen is a photographer and Travis works at the Jessamine County Sheriff’s Department. In their free time, they love to travel and be outdoors but are also homebodies that love staying in snuggling their two puppies.
After several years of marriage, they decided it was time to add to their family. After a year of trying naturally, Meagen went to her OB/GYN to seek an answer for what could be going on. After hearing her specific symptoms and medical history, her OB/GYN suggested that she get checked for endometriosis. A few months later, she had a laparoscopy surgery that did conclude she had stage-two endometriosis. After Meagen’s surgery, she and Travis became patients of The Institute for Reproductive health. Three IUI rounds, two chemical pregnancies and months of negative pregnancy tests led them to look into IVF.
“We had never even considered IVF in the past, partly because you just don’t think that you’ll ever get to that point, and also because of the cost.”
Struggling to know what steps to take to afford such a procedure, a friend recommended they apply for the Parental Hope Family Grant.
“We are still in shock at becoming grant recipients. We were at a loss for what to do next and this allows us to move forward without the stress of a financial burden. We can’t thank Parental Hope enough for giving us the opportunity of a lifetime.”
Morgan & Damon
Monrovia, IN
Damon and Morgan met in college and began dating. Morgan is a kindergarten teacher and Damon works as an administrator for IU Health Physicians. They got married on September 4th, 2016, and live in Monrovia, Indiana with their two fur babies, Lyla and Charli. Morgan and Damon enjoy spending time with their family and friends, going on hikes with their pups, camping, and playing trivia weekly.
Children were always in the plans for them and after being married a year and a half, they began trying to get pregnant. They had no reason, at the time, to believe this wouldn’t happen quickly. However, after trying for that long they decided it was time to seek professional help. After several rounds of labs, diagnostic testing, surgery, clomiphene and five rounds of IUIs, they still weren’t successful with getting pregnant.
Their providers began to discuss IVF as an option and the financial burden seemed daunting. They were introduced to Parental Hope last spring after starting to research grants to assist with paying for IVF. After searching online they found Parental Hope’s website and signed up to attend the Spring for Hope event in 2022. Unfortunately, they were not selected to receive a grant during that event. However, they had the opportunity to meet a community of people who were going through similar fertility journeys. People often talk about how common infertility actually is, but that doesn’t stop it from feeling lonely while in the midst of that journey. Although not receiving a grant that night was disappointing, seeing so many success stories gave them hope that their time would come.
After applying for the next grant cycle they were informed that they were one of the recipients chosen, and they are looking forward to growing their family.
Rachel & Justin
Fort Thomas, KY
Rachel and Justin met at the early age of 19 years old at the WEBN Fireworks. Introduced through a mutual friend, they were instantly drawn to each other and fell in love. They were married two years later in the fall of September 2013. After six years of growing together in their marriage, Rachel and Justin bought their first home in a storybook town centered around families.
In the fall of 2019, shortly after settling into their new home, they began trying to have a baby. Months went by with no success. After a year, Rachel and Justin knew something was in the way of their fertility journey and dream of starting a family.
Rachel sought advice from her OBGYN, who directed the couple to the Institute of Reproductive Health. After testing, IRH was able to determine the heartbreaking news that their chance of conceiving naturally was less than .01%. Despite this heartbreaking news, Rachel and Justin remained positive and determined in their journey to become parents. In the fall of 2021, the couple decided to start IUI treatments. Three IUI cycles later, Rachel and Justin received their first positive pregnancy test! However, just a few days before Christmas, the couple suffered a heartbreaking miscarriage at 7 weeks.
In April of 2022, Rachel and Justin decided to do a fourth and final IUI cycle that unfortunately ended with no positive outcome. The couple reached out to their doctor at the Institute of Reproductive Health for options going forward and together decided that IVF was the next step. After spending all the money they had saved for year and the funds in their HSA account, Rachel and Justin were unsure how many years they would have to wait to be able to afford the high cost of IVF.
After receiving the Parental Hope grant, Rachel and Justin share, “Whether it’s months or years, battling infertility is a long hard journey to suffer through. We are very thankful and blessed for this opportunity we’ve been given to start a family.”
April & Bryan
West Liberty, KY
Bryan and April came to know each other through April’s work as a CNA while caring for Bryan’s grandmother in the nursing home. Bryan’s grandmother always expressed interest in wanting to see Bryan and April in a relationship. She passed away December of 2018 and they finally started dating six months later. They instantly knew they wanted to spend the rest of their lives together and married in August 2020. Right away, Bryan and April began trying to become parents. April had known for quite a few years that she had PCOS and endometriosis. After multiple doctors, appointments, and procedures they were referred for an IUI consultation. After the consultation, they received a very expensive bill for bloodwork April’s doctor ordered. At that point, they had decided to just let go because the financial and emotional burden was just too much to bear.
Bryan and April learned about Parental Hope through a friend who received a Parental Hope Grant in 2019. So, they visited the Parental Hope website multiple times to apply, but every time they did, they application cycle was closed. April kept thinking about applying and one day, went to the Parental Hope website again just to look at all the babies and the Grant cycle was open to apply! Her heart leaped into her throat. April called Bryan right away and they applied right then. Bryan and April came to the Spring for Hope event with little to no hope of receiving a Grant and thought what were the chances of being selected? But they were selected!
“We can’t thank Parental Hope enough for this opportunity to become parents! We also want to thank our family, friends, and church family for all the prayers and support during our journey but most importantly God. We have faith and trust that God is still on the move, and we will have our miracle one day soon!”
Ashley & Lance
Flemingsburg, KY
Ashley is a Registered Nurse in the emergency room, while Lance works as a welder in construction. The two of them together own and operate a beef cattle and hay business in Flemingsburg where they live with their dogs.
Ashley and Lance got married in 2017 with the intention of starting a family. However, they faced challenges in conceiving. They went through extensive testing, sought expert opinions, and tried multiple medicated cycles and IUIs over the course of three years. Despite their efforts, they were unable to conceive.
Feeling the need to explore other options, Ashley and Lance decided to move forward with IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). During this time, Ashley prayed for community and friendship to support them through their journey. To her surprise, she found three people at her workplace who had been patients at IRH. Through one of her new friends, Ashley learned about a grant that could potentially help them in their pursuit of growing their family.
Receiving this grant has given Ashley and Lance HOPE for another chance at fulfilling their dream of having a child.
Ashley & Tex
Lancaster, KY
Ashley, a dedicated kindergarten teacher, and Tex, an RV transporter and farmer, met on Match.com, and their connection was undeniable. Little did they know that their path to starting a family would be filled with unexpected challenges.
After three years of trying to conceive, Ashley and Tex sought the help of specialists at IRH, who informed them that IVF was their only option. However, the overwhelming cost of the procedure left them uncertain about how they could make their dream a reality.
Just when they were beginning to consider adoption, a glimmer of hope appeared. A nurse at IRH mentioned Parental Hope’s Grant, a lifeline for couples facing infertility. Filled with hope, Ashley and Tex decided to apply, never imagining the incredible news that awaited them.
Ashley and Tex were chosen as recipients of the grant! This opportunity has given them renewed hope and the chance to pursue their dream of having a child. They firmly believe that God is working all things out for them, and while adoption may still be a part of their journey, Parental Hope has opened doors they never thought possible.
Christina & Kyle
Pikeville, KY
Christina and Kyle’s journey to starting a family began in 2019 when they met through work in the field of radiology. They got married in August 2021 and soon after, they decided it was time to build a family.
Initially, Christina thought that getting pregnant would be a simple process after stopping birth control. However, months went by without any success, leading to frustration and disappointment. After a year of trying without any positive results, Christina decided to consult her doctor.
During the appointment, Christina was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome). The doctor suggested blood work and fertility medications as possible solutions. However, despite undergoing numerous tests, trying different medications, and even having procedures done, they still didn’t achieve the desired outcome.
Feeling hopeless, Christina and Kyle decided to seek help from another physician. They tried more medications and underwent two failed IUIs (Intrauterine Insemination). Eventually, they opted for a laparoscopic procedure to check for endometriosis. Despite their efforts, they had almost given up on their dream of starting a family.
However, their luck changed when a mutual friend introduced them to Parental Hope. They applied for the Parental Hope Grant and were thrilled to receive the news that they were recipients. Parental Hope became the support system they never expected to need but are incredibly grateful for. They credit Parental Hope for bringing hope back into their lives and giving them the opportunity to fulfill their dream of having a family.
Danielle & Anthony
Cincinnati, OH
Danielle and Anthony met in high school and shortly after graduation, they began dating. July will be 10 years together. They got married in October 2020. They live in the Cincinnati area with their beloved pup, Luna. Danielle is a teacher and Anthony is a line operator.
Danielle and Anthony have always wanted kids and hoped that it would happen naturally. After 2 years of “trying but not trying” they decided to begin trying for a baby. After trying for nearly a year, Danielle decided to see her OBGYN, they ran some tests and it came back that she has PCOS. Her world shattered, and she was devastated. Her one huge goal in life was to be a mom and after hearing that diagnosis she felt like that was never going to happen.
Her OBGYN recommended different types of medication, a lifestyle change, and to go see an infertility doctor. For months she was in denial and so depressed. Their insurance doesn’t cover infertility services and their salaries together could not afford infertility treatment. They were so concerned about the cost but more concerned that they would never be parents. They decided to make an appointment with IRH to see what their options were.
A few weeks after making the appointment with IRH, a friend reached out and told Danielle and Anthony about this organization that is giving out a Grant for IVF. Danielle researched Parental Hope and saw that they were affiliated with IRH, what were the odds?! It was about a month before the Spring for Hope event when they heard about this organization and IVF Grant. It felt like everything was falling into place. They applied and attended the Spring for Hope event with all of their family and friends. Danielle and Anthony were lucky enough to get pulled as one of the 2023 Parental Hope IVF Grant recipients!
“We are so excited to be here and to get this chance of growing our family! We would like to thank Parental Hope for this amazing opportunity!”
Hannah & Brison
Salvisa, KY
High school sweethearts from Garrett County, Maryland, Hannah and Brison married in 2014 and have since made Lawrenceburg, KY, their home. They both work with children on a daily basis as teachers, with Hannah teaching 4th grade and Brison teaching in a middle school in Lexington. Their journey towards parenthood and having children of their own has been marked by moments of hope and determination.
For almost six years, Hannah and Brison have navigated the complexities of infertility, seeking assistance from the Institute for Reproductive Health in 2021. Their journey began with identifying PCOS as a major cause, as well as a thyroid condition that also impacted fertility. Despite a major myomectomy surgery and seven IUI treatment cycles, starting their family has been out of their reach.
Now, grappling with the financial strain of their persistent efforts, the Hannah and Brison have been granted crucial support through the Parental Hope grant. This grant is more than just financial aid; it represents an acknowledgement of their challenging journey and provides them with renewed hope to continue pursuing their dream of building a family.
Hannah & Geovanny
Madison, TN
Hannah and Geo’s love story began at a church retreat, where they started a friendship that slowly turned into an unbreakable bond. Their love for each other grew stronger with every passing day, and it became clear that they were meant to be together. They were married in the summer of 2020 in a simple ceremony, surrounded by only their closest family members, amidst a period of global uncertainty.
After tying the knot, they had a well-planned strategy for growing their family. However, things didn’t go as per their plan, and they soon realized that starting a family was not going to be as easy as they had hoped. Despite trying everything from the calendar method to health and lifestyle changes and a few cycles of IUI, they were left with nothing but disappointment and frustration.
Hannah had always dreamed of adopting a child, and they both continued to have conversations about the kind of adoption they wanted and when they should start that journey. They found that embryo adoption would be the perfect answer, as it would allow them to adopt a child into their family while also fulfilling Hannah’s desire to experience pregnancy and bond with the growing life inside her. They had already spent a lot of money on fertility treatments, and a friend suggested that they apply for a grant to help with the costs.
That’s when they discovered Parental Hope and, with just two weeks left before the deadline, they worked tirelessly to gather all the necessary documentation and submitted their application. Receiving the grant from Parental Hope was an incredible blessing, and they still can’t believe their luck. They are looking forward to this opportunity to carry their baby and start their family with love and joy.
“Receiving this grant has been an amazing blessing, one we still can’t fully believe, and we cannot wait for this chance to carry our baby!”
Kara & Alan
Walton, KY
In September of 2009, fate brought Kara and Alan together. Although they had attended the same school, it wasn’t until Alan reached out to Kara through MySpace that their paths finally crossed. From that moment on, their connection grew stronger, and after two years of dating, they decided to take the plunge and tie the knot.
As a young couple, Kara and Alan decided to wait a few years before starting a family of their own. In the meantime, they showered love and affection on their two adorable cats, Charlie and Jasper. In 2018, they took a significant step forward by purchasing their first house, ready to embark on the next chapter of their lives.
However, their journey to parenthood didn’t come without its challenges. After a year of trying to conceive without success, Kara and Alan sought medical assistance. Unfortunately, their hopes were shattered when they experienced a heartbreaking miscarriage in 2019. The couple took the time they needed to heal emotionally before mustering the strength to try again.
In 2021, they underwent an IUI attempt, which unfortunately didn’t result in a pregnancy. Determined to explore all options, Kara underwent an HSG procedure in 2023, which revealed the devastating news of a blocked fallopian tube. Their doctor recommended IVF as the best course of action, but the financial burden seemed insurmountable.
Amidst their struggles, Kara and Alan discovered a glimmer of hope in the form of the Parental Hope Grant. With bated breath, they applied, hoping for a chance to make their dreams come true. And in December, their prayers were answered! They received the incredible news that they had been chosen as recipients of the grant, opening the door to their long-awaited journey towards parenthood.
“We could not have asked for a better Christmas gift. It’s been a long and difficult road dealing with infertility, but we are now so hopeful, and look forward to starting our IVF journey in 2024!”
Kayla & Matthew
Vevay, IN
Matthew and Kayla met in October 2019. After just a few months of dating, they knew they wanted to build a life together. They were united in marriage in May 2021. Matthew works at North American Stainless and Kayla is a Funeral Director at her family owned funeral home in Vevay, Indiana. Ever since Kayla was a little girl, she had a vision of what her life would hold. A fulfilling job. A loving husband. A family of her own. She has accomplished two of the three. A family of her own has eluded her and left a gaping hole in her heart.
All her life she has dreamed of becoming a mommy, not knowing the uphill battle that they would face emotionally, physically, as well as, financially. Their journey began in 2020 when Kayla was diagnosed with stage-3 endometriosis. After her second surgery with a top endometriosis surgeon in Cincinnati, they knew the chances of conceiving naturally would be slim. After three rounds of unsuccessful IUI’s and the news of how much it would cost for IVF, friends reached out to Kayla to tell her about the Parental Hope Grant. Infertility is a rollercoaster of emotions. It has taught them the true meaning of resilience. It has also taught them to persevere no matter how many times they were told to try again. It has also taught Kayla and Matthew patience and appreciation. For when the time comes and they finally get to hold their baby, they will appreciate this miracle and see the mountains they had to climb to reach this moment.
Kayla and Matthew were awarded one round of IVF through Parental Hope in April 2023 at the Spring for Hope event, donated by the Institute for Reproductive Health. The Parental Hope grant and IRH has given them the chance to grow their family and not be burdened financially.
“We give all our thanks to Parental Hope, IRH, as well as, God in this journey. We are beyond thankful for answered prayers and for this opportunity to grow our family and become part of the Parental Hope family. We will never be able to thank Parental Hope enough for all of their help, guidance and support in our journey. We remain hopeful and trust that God will bless us with our miracle.”
Morgan & Kirby
Sterling, KY
Their story began in 2016 when Morgan and Kirby found themselves as teachers with classrooms across the hall from each other. They quickly realized they shared a passion for education and formed a deep connection. As teachers, they inspire countless students with their dedication.
In 2021, Morgan and Kirby took the next step and got married. They were excited to start a family and were ready to embrace the joys of parenthood. However, life had other plans for them. They faced the heartbreaking challenge of infertility, which took an emotional toll on their lives.
After trying to conceive for several years, Morgan and Kirby made the brave decision to seek help from a fertility specialist. It was then that they discovered Morgan was born with a rare genetic anomaly called a Unicornuate Uterus, meaning only half of her reproductive system developed. The doctors assured them that pregnancy was still possible, but it would require more effort and assistance.
Despite facing numerous failed IUI and IVF attempts, Morgan and Kirby refused to give up on their dreams of becoming parents. However, they hit a financial roadblock that seemed insurmountable. That’s when Parental Hope stepped in and became their saving grace.
With the support of Parental Hope’s IVF Grant, Morgan and Kirby’s financial burden will be lifted so they can focus on the emotional journey ahead.
Through all the hardships they’ve faced, Morgan and Kirby’s love and resilience have remained the foundation of their shared journey. They have shown incredible strength as they navigate the complexities of building a family, and their unwavering determination is truly inspiring.
“We will be forever grateful to Parental Hope for giving us the chance to fulfill our dreams of parenthood.”
Valerie & Mason
Cincinnati, OH
Yone & John
Wesley Chapel, FL
John, originally from the Northern Virginia area, brings a wealth of experience in business development and ministry. On the other hand, Yone hails from Venezuela and has a background in Cosmetology and Elementary Education. For the past 20 years, she has dedicated herself to Children’s ministry, touching the lives of countless little ones.
These lovebirds met during their college days while salsa dancing in a local studio. John, with his smooth moves, literally swept Yone off her feet, and their love story began.
After four years of dating, they tied the knot and embarked on a new chapter together. They moved to Northern Virginia, where they both immersed themselves in Children’s ministry and private education. Their shared passion for kids and the next generation was evident in everything they did.
However, life had its own plans for John and Yone. In 2020, they faced unexpected fertility complications while trying to conceive. It was a challenging time for them, but they remained resilient and hopeful.
Thankfully, they discovered that adopting an embryo was a viable pathway for them to fulfill their dream of becoming parents. This revelation filled their hearts with immense gratitude and hope. They want to extend their love and support to all the families who have faced infertility on their journey. You are not alone, and together, we can overcome any obstacle.
John and Yone would also like to express their heartfelt thanks to Parental Hope for choosing them for a grant. This incredible organization has been a beacon of light for countless families, providing them with the support and resources they need.
Ally & Caleb
Ekron, KY
Ally, an X-ray Tech, and Caleb, a Plant Maintenance worker, were set up on a blind date in 2018 by family. Ally has one younger sibling, while Caleb comes from a family of five. Both wanted kids early and started trying for a child six months before their 2020 wedding. They sought help from Ally’s OBGYN and went through several rounds of Femara before being referred to a specialist.
Ally was diagnosed with PCOS and experienced five failed IUIs. During the emotional struggle, their pets became like children to them, turning their family of two into a family of seven with three cats and two dogs. Feeling lost, they sought a second opinion at IRH, where their hopes of becoming parents were renewed. A plan for IVF was created to address their concerns.
The financial aspect of IVF was daunting, so IRH suggested they apply for the Parental Hope Spring for Hope event. After reviewing the site, they applied for the grant and traveled three hours to Cincinnati. They are incredibly grateful to Parental Hope and its donors and are excited to start this new chapter toward their little baby bear!
Amanda & Gary
Bethel, OH
Gary and Amanda met through mutual friends, both unaware that a little trick had been planned to get them to their house that night. Amanda arrived, expecting free homemade tacos, when she noticed a truck (7.3) pulling in. Unable to find her friend's husband, she greeted Gary, not knowing who he was. As the evening went on, they shared more laughs than anticipated. Before leaving, they both asked the couple about each other's relationship status, exchanged numbers, and began texting and talking like teenagers for two years. They married in October 2018 at the Eagles in Georgetown, Ohio.
In the years leading up to their marriage, they discussed having children, wanting to start as soon as possible. After four years of trying without success, they sought medical help. Amanda had various tests, while Gary's tests revealed a low sperm count.
They attempted three rounds of IUI, all unsuccessful, and decided to move to IVF. During Amanda's initial IVF appointment, she learned that her hormone levels had decreased instead of rising, prompting an early halt to the process. Overwhelmed, they questioned how much more they could endure financially and emotionally. Amanda held on to the belief that there is a reason for everything.
Eventually, they discovered ParentalHope, which resonated with their struggles. Amanda’s research showed that it was okay to ask for help. ParentalHope eased their stress immensely, and they are incredibly grateful for the support on their journey to start a family.
Amber & Adam
Nicholasville, KY
Amber and Adam have been a couple for 6 years and tied the knot in October 2024! They started their journey to parenthood in 2020. After trying on their own they discovered they were not able to conceive naturally. After months of trying, they decided to seek medical advice. During this time, they had 4 failed IUI and 1 failed IVF treatment in September 2023. The couple felt rushed and uneducated during the IVF process. After the failed IVF treatment, they were told the chances of conceiving with Ambers eggs was 50%. This crushed the couple, and they believed they needed a seconded opinion. Amber and Adam learned about the Institute for Reproductive Health (IRH) from multiple friends. During the consulting appointment with IRH they decided if they could figure out how to cover the cost of another round of IVF that they wanted to go with the IRH facility. It was during the first appointment they learned about Parental Hope and the grants that couples can apply for. The couple was in shock after learning that they received an IVF Grant. After the news has settled in, they are ecstatic that they are given another chance to start a family. With the help and support of Parental Hope, the couple believes this is their best chance at finally becoming parents.
Ashley & David
Cleves, OH
Ashley and David met in 2013 during their freshman year of high school and have been inseparable ever since. David teaches high school math and coaches football, while Ashley works as a research chemist. They have four beloved pets—2 dogs and 2 cats—but have always wanted to add human children to their family.
After marrying in 2021, they took a year for themselves before planning to start a family. A year without success led Ashley to consult her OBGYN, which then revealed male factor infertility for David. After various treatments proved ineffective, they realized IVF was their only option.
They began the IVF process in September 2023, initially feeling optimistic. Sadly, both of their first two transfers resulted in biochemical pregnancies. With their third transfer, they were thrilled to learn that the embryo had split, indicating a twin pregnancy. However, they later discovered both babies had low heart rates and were unlikely to survive. At 9.5 weeks, Ashley underwent a D&C procedure after the heartbeats ceased.
Without IVF coverage, the financial strain has been significant. While at a follow-up appointment, Ashley saw a poster for the Spring for Hope grant giveaway. They applied and encouraged family support. Winning the raffle has rekindled their hope of starting a family.
Brena & Logan
Letichfield, KY
Brittany & Justin
Kettle Island, KY
Brittany and Justin have always wanted children and a loving family of their own. For 14 years of marriage, they've faced infertility challenges and had nearly lost hope about seven years ago. After a couple of years of marriage, they sought fertility treatments, but Brittany was diagnosed with PCOS and irregular egg release. After various hormone treatments and the surgical removal of a large fibroid three years ago, Justin was also diagnosed with a chromosomal disorder affecting his fertility. They made one last attempt through IVF last year, but faced the heartbreaking possibility of never becoming parents. With faith and prayer, they remained strong and found hope upon discovering Parental Hope.
Brittany and Justin first met at 16 in a church and have been soulmates ever since. After marrying in 2010, they've traveled together and enjoy family time outdoors. Justin leads the youth group, while Brittany coordinates crafts and snacks. They cherish trips and cookouts with their church family and serving others whenever possible. Justin has a musical talent, and Brittany loves to sing and play the tambourine. As a 1st-grade teacher and yearbook advisor, Brittany loves being with children. They often dream of sharing these experiences with a little one and are very grateful for the blessings Parental Hope has given them.
Cheyenne & Michael
Brookville, IN
Cheyenne and Michael met in high school and started dating after graduation. Cheyenne works at a local hospital, and Michael is an auto body technician in Brookville. They married in October 2017 and hoped to start a family, but found it challenging.
After a year of trying, Cheyenne consulted her doctor and trialed Clomid, but after a laparoscopic procedure revealed endometriosis, they pursued further treatment at IRH. Cheyenne underwent 3 IUIs, IVF with a fresh embryo transfer, and an FET, all without success.
Feeling defeated, they decided to take a break and recoup financially. Cheyenne discovered a grant giveaway from Parental Hope on Facebook and applied. Their application was accepted, reigniting their hope.
With the support of Parental Hope’s FET grant, Cheyenne and Michael now believe their journey isn’t over, despite feeling broken-hearted for 6 1/2 years. “We will forever be grateful for this opportunity that Parental Hope has given us.”
Elizabeth & Michael
Sitka, KY
Mike and Beth met at Arby's in 2010, started dating in 2012, and married on December 1, 2013. Mike works as a Medical Courier with Labcorp, while Beth is a Family and Mental Health Services Manager for a Head Start Program. They share a love for animals and enjoy outdoor activities together. After a few years, they began to question why they hadn’t become pregnant. Beth has always dreamed of being a mother, and Mike wants to be the father he never had. They consulted an OBGYN and tracked Beth's cycles, but despite three rounds of Clomid and testing, they had no success. In 2019, after hearing about Beth's sister's pregnancy, they felt both happy and devastated. Their nephew, born in February 2020, brought them immense joy. They saw a fertility doctor in 2020-2021, who informed them about male factor infertility related to sperm antibodies. After receiving this heartbreaking news, they took a break but maintained close ties with their niece and nephew. They attempted to secure IVF loans without success, but upon learning about the Parental Hope grant, they applied and were overjoyed to be accepted.
"This is the biggest blessing. We are so thankful for this opportunity and have a renewed hope that we will become parents. Thank you, Parental Hope."
Jessica & Austin
Cincinnati, OH
Austin and Jessica met in 2020 and married in 2022 at the Red River Gorge. Both dreamed of starting a family, but their infertility journey began early in their relationship. After six months of trying and visiting her gynecologist, Jessica sought help from a reproductive endocrinologist (RE). They were diagnosed with unexplained infertility and began fertility treatments, including three timed cycles and two failed IUIs. Their RE recommended IVF due to Jessica’s age (she was 38). However, lacking financial resources and insurance coverage, they faced challenges affording IVF. Fortunately, Jessica learned about the Parental Hope grant from a patient at work, whose IVF nurse connections helped them. After applying and attending the Spring for Hope event, they were thrilled to be one of the recipients! Grateful for this opportunity, they are eager to start their IVF journey. In their spare time, they enjoy concerts, football, and spending time with their dog, Rambo, and their two cats, Annie and Opie.
Jessica & Tim
Maineville, OH
Jessica and Tim have been married for 2 years and have always wanted a family. They met while Tim was in the Marines and Jessica was in college. After several wonderful years together, they got married and began their journey toward parenthood.
Jessica has faced major complications with Stage 4 Endometriosis, which has caused severe pain and required extensive surgery. After a tough recovery, they realized having a family might be more challenging than expected. They underwent 7 IUI (Intrauterine insemination) treatments, but unfortunately, it did not work, leaving them with limited options.
The financial burden of IVF was significant for them, but they learned about Parental Hope and the support they provide. With the help of their amazing friends and family, Jessica and Tim began to assemble a team for their journey. Their love and support from loved ones and Parental Hope have been invaluable.
Megan & Bill
Johnstown, PA
Megan, a crew coordinator at a local asphalt company, and Bill, a commercial loan officer at a community bank, reside in Johnstown, PA. They married on a beautiful summer day in July 2019, surrounded by family and friends.
After marriage, they initially postponed starting a family but decided to try in 2021. After three years of challenges, including miscarriages and IUI, doctors suggested IVF. Upon learning the costs, they worried starting a family seemed out of reach but held onto hope, believing “if it is meant to be, God will guide us.”
As the months passed, their resolve weakened, yet Megan discovered Parental Hope’s grants through a Facebook post. She applied and attended the Spring Hope Event, where they didn’t initially receive a grant. However, two days later, an anonymous donor funded them, and they were thrilled to receive a 2024 Parental Hope IVF Grant!
The relief and joy that followed brought them to tears. They are immensely thankful to Parental Hope for this life-changing opportunity!
Paige & Mike
Columbus, OH
Mike and Paige are from Cincinnati and met as students at The Ohio State University. They became friends, roommates, and eventually started dating. After seven years together, they married and focused on starting a family. Unfortunately, they faced recurrent pregnancy loss. Paige had a myomectomy for a uterine fibroid, which revealed an ectopic pregnancy. The Institute of Reproductive Health recommended IVF due to the risks associated with natural conception. They are thankful to Dr. Robertshaw for her care and for suggesting the Parental Hope Grant. Paige now coordinates organ donation and sees the Grant as a transformative gift. Mike and Paige are hopeful that the Grant will help them begin IVF and one day hold their child.
Samiyra & Ryan
Louisville, KY
Samiyra and Ryan met at the University of Kentucky and began dating in February 2014. Ryan was such a charmer with his Valentine Day scavenger hunt, Samiyra could not pass. They married in June of 2018 with the support of family and friends. Around 2019 Samiyra was diagnosed with PCOS and figured conceiving would be a challenge. In December 2022 Samiyra began to work with IRH and began with fertility treatments with IUI cycles. After 7 failed IUI’s Samiyra and Ryan conceived in March 2024 but unfortunately ended in a miscarriage at 6 weeks. Samiyra and Ryan continued with a couple more IUI's but to no avail. After such heartbreak Samiyra and Ryan had a consultation for IVF and found out about the Parental Hope Grant. After many nights of prayer and the amazing news of being recipients of the Parental Hope Grant the journey of IVF is now reachable. Samiyra and Ryan have strong Christian beliefs and have faith even when if it is the size of a mustard seed. "Thank you Parental Hope Grant for giving us hope in a difficult time in our lives as we continue our fertility journey".