Tempe Beach Park Couple’s Photo Shoot | Infertility & Cancer Survivor Story
I can’t tell you how much I loved getting to know Samantha and Shawn when we met at Tempe Beach Park for their photo shoot. They are such a kind, beautiful couple and I could sense so much inner strength in them as they shared their story with me. These two have battled cancer together and are now in the midst of a journey with infertility as a result, but they make an amazing team and can get through anything together, so I know they will make the most incredible parents and I’m so hopeful for them that their latest treatment will be successful! I’m so glad they wanted to share their story to raise awareness of infertility and I hope it will help someone out there who needs to read this and know they’re not alone.
Samantha & Shawn’s Infertility Survivor Story
written by Samantha
A little background about you as a couple
Shawn and I met online in August 2011. We talked for a few weeks and then he suddenly stopped responding. He eventually reached out to me a week or so later and let me know he was diagnosed with cancer (Leukemia). We stopped talking completely while he went through chemo, radiation and a bone marrow transplant. In February 2012 he texted me to let me know he was in remission. We decided to officially meet and go on our first date at Cracker Jax (mini golfing in Scottsdale). We continued to date for 8 months before we found out his cancer returned. We’d only been together for 8 months, but I didn’t leave him and was at the hospital everyday while he went through more chemo and another bone marrow transplant plant. In January 2013 he was in remission again and that June he asked me to marry him. He said he knew I was the one for him when I didn’t get scared and leave him when the cancer returned.
Your infertility story
We got married in February 2015 and decided to try for a family in 2017. Due to the cancer treatments, Shawn is sterile and cannot have kids of his own. I always wanted to experience pregnancy so we decided to use a sperm donor. After counseling sessions we knew we made the right decision. We did three IUIs in 2017 but they all failed. We took a break to focus on my best friend’s wedding who was actually marrying my brother-in-law lol. Shawn was best man and I was maid of honor. After the wedding we went to a new clinic and moved forward with IVF. I had my egg retrieval in April, hysteroscopy in early June and officially transferred one PGS embryo on June 27th. We are currently in the two week wait for our beta test (the blood test that shows if I’m pregnant).
What would you say is the hardest thing about infertility?
The two hardest things about going through infertility are 1) The unknown. You never know what’s going to happen. Everything can be textbook perfect but it doesn’t mean it’s guaranteed. I have a handful of good friends who try and help me to stay positive. I’ll have my low days but they are always cheering us on. 2) The financials. We live pay check to paycheck. We used our savings for the IUIs and had to take out a loan for IVF. It just makes me sad that insurance doesn’t cover infertility treatment.
Are there any ways you have grown stronger as a person/couple as a result of infertility?
We definitely have grown stronger together over the years. Going through cancer with Shawn and now fertility treatments, I truly feel like we can tackle anything. We’ve experienced the lowest of lows possible and try to remind each other to stay positive and that we will get through this.
Are there any resources that have helped you emotionally/spiritually through your infertility journey?
Some other things that have helped me personally get through this journey is all the social media support. The Facebook IVF groups and Instagram accounts I find of other women going through it. I talk to a lot of them about the struggles we both experience. I’ve never met any of them, but I have a special bond with some.
What advice would you give to someone else who is currently going through infertility?
My advice to someone going through this would be don’t be ashamed you have to go through IVF. It’s much more common then people think, but everyone is afraid to talk about it. I was quiet for a long time because I felt ashamed I have to go through this to have a baby and that it just can’t happen naturally. But I decided to open up on my personal account about it. I want people to be aware of infertility. You’ll also learn to have patience during the whole process and that you have no control over the outcome. It will all fall into place when it’s meant to.
