A few years ago, a very good friend of mine experienced difficulty in getting pregnant. She and her husband began to search for a kind, giving woman willing to donate her eggs so that could have the family they always dreamed of. Although I was not a match for them, the more I learned about the process of egg donation, the more I wanted to be part of it and help other aspiring parents. I contacted Dr. Angela Figueroa and was introduced to Fertility Needs and the National Exchange for Egg Donation and Surrogacy (NEEDS).
The first step towards becoming a donor is completing the application. This is easily accessible on-line at fertilityneeds.com. Although the application requires time to complete, you will be greatly rewarded for your efforts when selected as a donor by a loving couple in need. Once I was selected, my cycle was synchronized with the aspiring mom's. For several weeks, I administered injections and went to a local doctor's office for blood work and ultrasounds until my eggs were ready to be retrieved. The retrieval process was relatively painless with a quick recovery.
Since my first selection, I have donated my eggs to five loving couples. One couple in particular has remained in contact and provides regular updates on the child they had with my eggs. Words cannot describe what a wonderful and precious gift this is. We have exchanged updated and photos, from the child's first words to first steps. It is heartwarming and gratifying knowing I was able to assist this loving family in their quest to have children. Being an egg donor has truly been the most rewarding experience of my life.