#YouAreNotAlone – Fertility Week 29 Oct – 4 Nov 2018

29 Oct 2018

Changing perceptions, providing support and raising funds

Not being able to have the family you yearn for can be an incredibly isolating experience whatever stage of your fertility journey you are at: considering your future fertility, having fertility treatment, or facing life without children.

Fertility Week is a chance to challenge the taboos and myths around infertility and raise awareness of the devastating physical, emotional and social impact fertility problems wreak. Together – sharing stories and experiences – we can change perceptions, signpost support and raise funds to help others.

Together we are stronger.

#YouAreNotAlone

Monday 29 October #Scream4IVF

We reveal the best and worst places to live in the UK if you’re hoping to access NHS IVF and release the latest news about #Scream4IVF – our campaign for fair access to NHS fertility treatment. Help us end the IVF postcode lottery: scream, share and sign our online petition at www.scream4IVF.org

Tuesday 30 October #LifeWithoutChildren

How do you move forwards meaningfully when you have not been able to have children? We reveal exclusive research results from Dr Sophia Gameiro of Cardiff University and host two webinars: Lesley Pyne at 19.00 talking about her book Finding Joy beyond Childlessness and Dr Sofia Gameiro at 20.30 discussing practical advice if you have not met your parenthood goals. Further info at http://fnuk.wpengine.com/for-those-facing-the-challenges-of-childlessness/

Wednesday 31 October  #FertilityFellas

Fertility is not solely a female issue – men are half the fertility equation too – so it’s time to explode some male fertility myths. Did you know the most common reason for a couple to try IVF is because of male factor problems? Share and tweet our top five male fertility facts.

Thursday 1 November #FertilityAtWork

Do you know your employment rights during fertility treatment? We highlight what people can and should expect from their employer when facing fertility issues and going through treatment. Share and tweet our fertility at work facts.

Friday 2 November #FutureFertility

We focus on fertility education: do you know your fertility vital statistics? For women, they’re 28:35:42. 28: female fertility is already falling, 35: female fertility plummets, 42: your chance of becoming a biological mother is vanishingly small. Share and tweet our future fertility facts.

Saturday 3 – Sunday 4 November The Fertility Show, London

Fertility Week culminates in The Fertility Show at Olympia, London – the biggest and best-attended fertility show in the world. Join us there https://www.fertilityshow.co.uk/london

Get involved in Fertility Week

Host a Fertili-tea party

Brew like you’ve never brewed before. Everything seems better after a cup of tea, so we’re asking all tea aficionados to call up friends, family or colleagues, bake a fertility cake or two (let your imagination run wild) and sell tea and cakes to help others. And, yes, we want to see photos of those amazing egg and sperm cakes. For a Fertiliti-tea pack visit http://fnuk.wpengine.com/fertilitea/

Get social

Share your stories, experiences, blogs and more during the week using the hashtags #YouAreNotAlone #FertilityWeek18 and either #Scream4IVF #LifeWithoutChildren #FertilityFellas #FertilityatWork or #FutureFertility

Contact us

For press releases and information on our #YouAreNotAlone media campaign, contact Catherine Hill, head of communications at media@fertilitynetworkuk.org

Send your #YouAreNotAlone blogs, Fertili-tea photos and more to digital communications officer, Natalie Aminoff at natalie@fertilitynetworkuk.org

For fundraising queries, contact head of fundraising Cat Strawbridge at cat@fertilitynetworkuk.org