Infertility awareness project...

So this past week to kick off a campaign to raise awareness regarding infertility & to set the stage for National Infertility Awareness week (April 24th-May 1st) RESOLVE & Stirr-up Queens announced Project IF. All bloggers who would like to participate are invited to visit Stirr-up Queens & answer the question “What if” as it relates to their own experience with infertility or the experience of a friend/family member. You can leave your comment until April 16th at which time they’ll choose 10 bloggers to move onto the next stage of this contest. The winner will be honored with the Hope Award for the best blog of 2010 at Resolves Night of Hope ceremony.

I encourage you even if you haven’t experienced IF yourself to check out the responses that have been left…it gives you a powerful glimpse into the emotional aspects those struggling with IF experience. And for those of you who have dealt with IF it helps us to see how alike we are in spite of the different diseases or road blocks that have put us on this journey. So spread the word & if you feel inclined participate by leaving your “what if”.

I’m excited that this awareness project has already seen so much participation & for the visibility that will be given to infertility during National Infertility Awareness Week. I’ve been encouraged by more celebrities coming forward recently to talk openly about their IF experiences (Celine Dion & Giuliana Rancic). I think the more the general public is educated & exposed to infertility issues the more understanding & support will be available for those struggling with IF. After all, infertility affects 1 in 8 couples these days, it is a disease which they are unable to control, so chances are you or someone you know is struggling & they can use all the support they can get. They’ll always be those people who don’t understand IF or who are opposed to infertility treatments, but in all likelihood that’s because they or someone close to them has never gone through that type of pain. As Robert Brown said, “Man is always inclined to be intolerant towards the thing, or person, he hasn’t taken the time adequately to understand”. So here’s to accepting our differences and the tolerance that comes from caring enough to try & understand where someone else is coming from in their journey.