I've known for a long time that I want to have a child as a single parent and within community - 'it takes a village' as they say. I'm queer and this fundraiser will help me overcome the barriers that queer people have to starting a family.
My focus for many years has been to create a life that would be beautiful and abundant for a child and now I'm at a good point in my life.
I've finished my PhD; I'll be moving into a new building in the centre of Cardiff with my housing co-op of 5 other people who I care deeply about and will support us; my friends and loved ones are committed to helping me raise the child; I'm part of a wonderful community in Cardiff. I'm ready for a baby!
We are also planning a community hub as part of the housing coop building, and this kind of community and social change work will continue to be a big part of my life and then my child's, hopefully!
Now that I've finished my PhD, I'm starting to get a steady income with various work within the food, farming, and land movement. However, going through a fertility clinic and getting a sperm donor is incredibly expensive! At the same time, I can really feel that my clock is ticking now that I'm 35! This fundraiser will help keep me have a child before it gets more difficult with age.
The money I am fundraising is for the fertility process at the fertility clinic (I will also have to pay an equal amount for donor sperm) and is enough for three attempts which gives a pretty good probability to conceive a child given that I don't have fertility issues.
It feels like a scary thing to ask for support but I really need my wider community's help to make this dream a reality. I have wanted to have a child for so long and I have dedicated so much of my life to social change work and met such amazing and kind people, and ultimately that means a lot more than financial stability - but money is still really needed sometimes!
I really believe that I am going to be an amazing mum and have the support around me to do this well if I can make it happen through this fertility process. I would really appreciate any contribution you can make to me achieving this. Thanks!