EDEN Community - our story      

​​A little introduction from our founder and moderator...

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Facing the prospect of never having a child of your own is an overwhelming experience. After the dust settles you want answers and options...

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This was the case for me.

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People respond in different ways to this type of news. Some accept, and others... well, they go searching... searching for information and options that will help them not give up their dream. ​

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My reaction was to research hard and long. I found out every thing I could about infertility and the options available when you want to start a family but are told it is impossible with out interventions and the help of others.

​I had no idea where to start., or  just what the options where for someone in my position. On my search I found out information on many topics. I thought how useful it would have been to have all these options and related topics in one place. At the beginning of my search I could have done with ONE page that just listed the options and an introduction to them. and perhaps, where to go if I needed something more in depth. A first step on the path, if you like.

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Over the last few years I have got to know people who have completed their alternative journeys to parenthood, and those who have helped them. Rare, special, people indeed - who will be dropping by from time to time to share their stories and advice with you.

Now I am completed my own journey, on an alternative path to parenthood and have a beautiful son via surrogacy it seems a good time to share what I have learned.

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So - whereever you are on your path, just dealing with the realisation that you can’t be a parent without the assistance of others, or looking into helping someone through donorship, or surrogacy, I hope you find something here to give you hope, and set you off on the next step…

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Renée

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Another little introduction... from our co-moderator...

​​Like Renee, when I first looked into being a surrogate I found most of the information anecdotal, and too widespread. ​

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For sometime I had wanted to help others who wanted to be parents. I eventually  found the information I was looking for - what it is really like to be a donor and later, a surrogate.

It would have helped to have one place where this information was not just easily accessible, but up to date.​

There are many ways of knowing the unfairness of life, not being able to have a child of your own is certainly one of them. I know this unfairness, as I have had the absolute horror, (the only word I find appropriate), of having one of my children die. After this experience, of with dealing with the grief, and loss of such a wanted and loved little human being, I felt such a huge empathy for those who were unable to have children on their own. The grief of losing a child had a huge effect on me as a person, it did many things, but it also made me wonder... how must it feel, to not even have the chance of experiencing the kind of love that only a parent can feel? To only ever wonder of this love? At least, I had the experience of loving my little girl ...   it is this empathy that lead me onto my initial egg donorship, and later,  my surrogacy for a wonderful couple.

I have always loved being a mother ... from when it first 'surprised' me, when I was 21, to my youngest... it changed me at my core, and has shown me there so much more to this life.​

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It  is my hope also, that EDEN will be a place a where people are encouraged with the hope of  ‘options’ - when they feel they have none – and they can start their next steps towards starting or completing their own families.

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Rosie

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