Calgary charity, Generations of Hope, celebrates 10 years of building Alberta families

CALGARY, March 3, 2015 /CNW/ - Calgary charity Generations of Hope (GOH) is celebrating its 10 year anniversary of giving hope to Alberta couples who couldn't otherwise afford the necessary medical treatments they need to build their families.

Over the last 10 years, the Generations of Hope Fertility Assistance Fund has given over $1 million in grants helping over 100 Albertans create their families. To date, 128 Alberta babies have been born, with 21 on the way, because of the fund's assistance.

"One in six Alberta couples will face infertility," explains Terri Abraham, GOH President. "My husband and I feel fortunate we could afford the medical treatment we needed to have our boys. It doesn't seem right that money is the obstacle that stands in the way of some Albertans who desperately want a family."

Created by a group of committed past patients and members of the Regional Fertility Clinic in 2005, the fund helps those Albertans who need financial assistance to access the medical treatment they need to have a family. "The goal of the Generations of Hope Fertility Assistance Fund is to put the hope for a child within reach for as many Albertans as possible ultimately protecting our great province and its next generation," explains Terri.

"Often we see patients in our clinic who cannot continue the medical treatment they need due to financial barriers," says Dr. Selma Scott, a fertility specialist with the Regional Fertility clinic. "I see first hand the hope in our patients' eyes when they realize patients who have gone before them are willing to give back so they have a chance to build their families."

On March 7 Generations of Hope will host the Images of Hope gala to celebrate 10 years of helping Albertans build their families. For more information, or to donate to Generations of Hope, visit www.generationsofhope.ca.

GOH Success Stories

• Kevin and Amber Luft always wanted children but Kevin was diagnosed with an aggressive cancer early in their relationship. Before he started chemotherapy he had the foresight to freeze some of his sperm. When Kevin's treatment was finished the couple was ready to look to the future and start their family. It was then they realized there was no way they could afford in vitro fertilization (IVF), the only treatment available given Kevin's experience with chemotherapy. Kevin and Amber were awarded a grant from GOH.
  
  "If it wasn't for the kindness and generosity of Generations of Hope we would not have our little girl," says Amber. "Since her birth, Kevin has not been back in the hospital. Having a family has been the greatest gift to both of us, particularly after what Kevin has been through."
  
  
• Rachel and Brandon Newell learned they could not have children for medical reasons very early in their marriage. This young couple exhausted their financial resources doing a couple of rounds of intrauterine insemination. The only option left for them was a cycle of IVF.
  
  "We gathered money for about half of the costs but there was simply no way we could manage the rest. Not a lot of young couples can find an extra $13,000 for medical treatments. At that point we had given up. Our hearts were broken," explains Brandon.
  
  When they learned about Generations of Hope, they applied and were awarded a grant that would cover their remaining costs. Rachel and Brandon were successful and now they are proud parents of twin girls.
  
  "Thank you does not even begin to express our gratitude. This charity opened the door for us to become parents. They gave us hope and they gave us our family. We are proud to be raising our girls in Alberta. This is a province that recognizes and values the importance of family and community," says Brandon.

Infertility Facts

• One in six Alberta couples will need some form of medical intervention to conceive.
• Infertility affects men and women equally. Forty percent of infertility is attributed to the female partner, 40 percent to the male partner and 20 percent of infertility is unexplained.
• Infertility is a recognized medical condition.
• One cycle of in vitro fertilization can cost between $10,000 - $15,000 (inclusive of drugs).
• Success rates can be as high as 70 percent when fresh or frozen embryos are used (cumulative pregnancy rate).

SOURCE Generations of Hope

Hejdi Feick, Generations of Hope Board Member, 403.629.3774, [email protected]