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Canadian Infertility Awareness Week: Supporting Infertile Canadians During a Global Pandemic

As Canadians across the country face the uncertainty of COVID-19, struggling with infertility have the added anxiety of having to delay the treatments they need to fulfil their dream of a family.

Fertility Matters Canada (FMC), a registered Canadian charity, is helping alleviate their feelings of isolation with online resources and interactive counselling sessions during the 13th annual Canadian Infertility Awareness Week (CIAW) taking place, April 19-25, 2020. With a theme of “We See You,” this year’s CIAW will seek to build virtual bridges among Canadians with fertility issues, health care providers and wellness experts to replace the in-person support networks they are missing.

Genesis Fertility Centre is proud to support this initiative and offer up-to-date resources for our patients in the form of blog posts, ongoing live webinars and daily updates on our Instagram Stories.

“We know that this year, more than ever, Canadians who are struggling to conceive face even more obstacles as their treatments are placed on hold while the medical system deals with the challenges of COVID-19,” said Carolynn Dubé, Executive Director of FMC. “On top of having to wait longer to start or grow their families, they may be dealing with increased financial pressures from job loss that will affect their ability to pay for costly interventions.”

According to the Public Health Agency of Canada, one in six Canadian couples deal with infertility, a number that has doubled since the 1980s. Canadian Infertility Awareness Week is an opportunity for these Canadians to share their experiences with each other and with the wider community. Throughout the week, experts in the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), therapists and patients will share their stories through the Fertility Matters Canada online streams. These will join the already powerful #1in6 stories that are published on the website and social media channels.

“We want Canadian patients to know they are not alone. Fertility Matters Canada is here to provide them with access to professional advice and to the support of others who have walked the same path and are willing to share messages of hope.”

“CIAW is always an important event but, this year, we recognize an even greater need to reach out to Canadians who are struggling to build their families,” said Sara Cohen, President of Fertility Matters Canada. “We want to offer the resources and reassurance they need to face their infertility journey with increased confidence, as well as to promote greater awareness and understanding among the community as whole.”

As always, Genesis Fertility Centre is here for you. We see you. We firmly stand by our mission: to advocate for patients and help create families with heart and science. If there’s anything we can do to help you through this difficult time, or if you’d like to learn more, please do not hesitate to reach out.

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