Melanie’s Personal Egg Donor Story
The stories of women who become egg donors vary greatly depending on where a woman donates. At Shady Grove Fertility, our anonymous egg donor program ensures the anonymity of our donors to protect both the women donating, as well as the recipients who receive the donated eggs. However, what remains the same for the many donors at Shady Grove Fertility as well as women who donate elsewhere is the reason for giving back begins with the simple desire to give. This was the case with Melanie’s egg donor story. Melanie, a generous-natured girl who was already a regular blood donor, who came across a magazine ad about donating eggs. “The thought of making a difference in someone’s life in such a serious way resonated with me,” Melanie stated. She realized that her good health was something she could be generous with, even more than just donating blood.
The Process of Becoming an Egg Donor
While not all egg donation centers or agencies are the same, Shady Grove Fertility prescreens each woman interested in egg donation prior to her being accepted into the program. Therefore, at Shady Grove Fertility, egg donation requires serious commitment. The screening process includes a review of both personal and family medical history for 2 to 3 generations, psychological testing, blood tests, personal information (like hobbies, favorite foods), and an essay about what motivates them to donate their eggs. Due to this extensive 3 to 4 month process, the overwhelming majority of the women who make it through the screening and move on to donate do so because they want to help other women.
Finding Joy through Egg Donation
“We have found that [women who] want to be a donor for altruistic reasons, those are really the only donors who are going to make it through the process,” remarks Michele Purcell, RN, Director of Donor Egg and Egg Freezing Programs.
Melanie realized this as well, and ended up waiting an entire year before deciding to apply to be an egg donor. After she donated her eggs, she sorted though her feelings and realized how happy she was with her decision. Like many of the SGF egg donors, after completing her first cycle, Melanie decided to donate her eggs again. “It’s the excitement and joy that I feel knowing that I can help a family in such a special way that means the most to me. My next donation is already scheduled, and I plan to continue donating as long as recipients continue to choose me.”
While donating your eggs is a big decision that will impact the lives of others, the reward for you and another family is beyond measure. Sarah Esdaile, a donor egg recipient perfectly captures the feeling when she said, “People who haven’t been through this process used to say to me, “Oh you’ll never think about the donor ever again. And that hasn’t been true. I think about her every day of my life. And I hope that she knows what she’s done for this stranger on the other side of the world.”
Read Melanie’s full egg donor story. Melanie donated through an agency where the process of becoming an egg donor as well as the anonymity of egg donation is not the same as what egg donors experience at Shady Grove Fertility. To learn more about donating eggs at Shady Grove Fertility, read the FAQs. If you’re interested in becoming an egg donor at Shady Grove Fertility, call (888) 312-4499 or get started with your egg donor story by filling out the brief application.
