From donor to recipient – two amazing stories

The link between a donor and her recipient is a special and unique one. Here a donor and recipient share their stories. (identities have been kept anonymous).

The donor writes:

Hello special soul

Firstly I would like to wish you all the best. I know that between Wednesday and Friday you should be receiving the conceived embryo. I’m sure you are excited and at the same time also pretty nervous. You are in good hands and I believe you would get the same loving treatment from Nurture and the Doctors at the Clinic as I have.

Having been your donor was one of the most interesting experiences of my life. I have never felt so close and loving towards a complete stranger.  

My body has gone through a lot of change since I started going on the contraception and hormone injections. My emotions were up and down and it was fascinating to see how easy I could cry to things like a song on American Idols… completely hormonal!

On my first scan last week I was told that my ovaries where super eager and had produced over 12+ eggs in each ovary. I need to warn you that you have an over achiever baby coming your way by looking at my ovaries. For this reason my retrieval was also moved up by two days.  By Monday I felt extremely bloated and even had to decline my daily run because it was so uncomfortable. I spent most of my morning talking to my eggs and making sure that they understand what was going to happen. I was very calm and believe that they were as ready as I was. Waking up after the procedure I was a bit confused and not sure where I was or what was going on. A rush of relief came over me and for no particular reason I cried. I wasn’t sad but more overwhelmed about what had happened and what was going to happen to you in the next couple of days. 

I believe you will be a wonderful mom and I pray blessings over your pregnancy. I send you my honest love, care, harmony and happiness.

xM 

 

The recipient writes:

Dear Donor

In the exciting process of selecting a donor I read a lot of profiles. I liked some, I refused others, and when I saw your photo I felt maternal, and a sense of love came over me. I felt in a strange way that you could be my baby because of our similarities – the shape of your lips and face, your eyes and even our haircuts! Kim suggested you, and I “knew” that you were my donor.

Some months ago I wrote to Kim telling her that I thought you were my destiny donor.

When I met Melany, she was so emotional. When I asked her if we look similar, she looked at her notebook and said: “ I can’t believe it, you could be sisters!” That was like music in my ears and in my soul.

I feel a great immense love towards you because I can’t believe that a stranger could give me the most important thing in my life. You are so generous, and you complete me.

I had a philosophy professor who said: “I think life is more than the fact to born and to die… at my old age I believe life is the great opportunity to give love.” That sentence is written in my mind and my heart, and since then, I try to give love to my family, my friends, my clients and everyone I meet.

You are the best example of giving, and I have no more words to tell you how grateful I am. I hope my son/daughter/sons/daughters will have your same generous heart.

 Thank you

M

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Tertia

Tertia Albertyn is the founder of Nurture - South Africa’s longest-running and most successful Egg Donation Program. An accomplished speaker and an award-winning published author, as well as an ex-infertility patient herself, she is highly regarded in South Africa and internationally for the work she does in infertility. Tertia was instrumental in establishing the first FDA-approved frozen donor egg bank in Africa. Tertia has an MBA from the University of Cape Town and lives in Cape Town, South Africa with her husband and three children.