Helping People Build Their Families Through Surrogacy & Egg Donation
I am the owner of Pathways To Parenthood. We are an egg donor and surrogacy
agency located in the Midwest. We have helped grow families all over the United
States. And some outside of the United States. Most of our intended parents,
surrogates and egg donors live in Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Oklahoma, Arkansas,
Illinois and Colorado.
Someone recently asked me what the most challenging or difficult part of working
in the surrogacy agency/egg donor agency business is for me. I would like to
share my thoughts and feelings about this topic as they have given me a renewed
sense of commitment and joy for the work that I do to help others. I hope that it
can somehow benefit anyone that is considering becoming a surrogate or egg
donor, or considering becoming a parent through surrogacy and/or egg donation.
The most challenging and difficult part of my daily work is to hear people’s stories
of disappointment, loss, and ongoing struggles to grow their family. It is not the
stories that make it most difficult for me, even though it makes me sad to hear
them. It is my overwhelming desire to instantly give them what they need to help
them realize their dream to become parents. Even though I am able to offer them
the help they may need to realize their dreams to become parents, of course
there is nothing instantaneous about it! It is not that my intended parents expect
instant results, it is my admittingly impossible to accomplish desire to be able to
do that for them that makes it difficult for me.
Ironically, the most difficult aspect of the work that I do also offers me the
greatest satisfaction and joy. When intended parents reach out to a surrogacy
agency or egg donor agency like Pathways To Parenthood, they are in great need
of assistance in building and growing their family. Oftentimes, in addition to the
painful or difficult history they bring , they are also bringing hope that they can
find the help they need with us. And that is where the most difficult part of my
work intersects with the most wonderful parts of what I get to do every day.
Given I have worked as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in reproductive
health and infertility for twenty years, had personal struggles with infertility and
infertility treatments, and owned and operated a surrogacy agency and egg donor
agency for 8 years, I am able to offer those who reach out to us for help,
knowledge and information based in training, experience, and compassionate
care! No matter where someone is on their journey, I am able to meet them
where they are, and help them along with where they want to go. That is a
wonderful part of the work I do! Knowing that I have helped many along their
way to become parents, and that I have the opportunity every day to help others
in their present state, and in their future, is very important to me.
In addition, the fact that there are incredibly special women who are willing to
help others by being an egg donor or surrogate AND that have also decided to be
a part of Pathways To Parenthood’s programs, gives me the amazing opportunity
to help connect intended parents to them. It takes a lot of time and energy to
locate, screen and prepare women to become a surrogate or egg donor. But it is
time and energy well spent knowing what I am working for, and who I am working
for.
The path to parenthood for our intended parents is not an easy one. But at the
end of it all, the long dreamed for family becomes a reality. And I am privileged
and honored to be a part of that happy ending. I am grateful for the work that I
do, in spite of the challenges and difficulties that come along with it. Because in
the end, it is wonderful to see our parents’, surrogate’s and egg donor’s dreams
come true!
by Kerry Christifano
M.A., LCPC
If it is in your heart to help a family become parents by becoming a
surrogate or egg donor, contact Pathways To Parenthood today and get
started. If having a baby through surrogacy and/or egg donation is an
option you are considering, take the first step and contact Pathways To
Parenthood today! You can reach us at 913-469-5500 or at
www.pathwaystoparenthood.com.
I Love My Surrogate!
I don’t mean that in a figurative way, or as a way to express my overall joy of becoming a parent through surrogacy. I literally mean I love my surrogate! I realize that for most people the month of February elicits thoughts of romantic love. But for me, the love of my wonderful, amazing, miracle baby, is coupled with an overwhelming feeling of love for my surrogate!
As we all know, there are many types of love that we experience in our lives. The ancient Greeks had several words for love enabling them to distinguish more clearly between different types of love. The love I feel for my surrogate is in a category all by itself, and I feel compelled to share with others! I hope that my words can help someone that is contemplating embarking upon the surrogacy process to become a parent. I think they may also be helpful for any woman that is considering becoming a surrogate to help others.
I had no idea that my journey would culminate (hopefully) with my long-awaited child, but also experiencing a type of love that I did not realize existed. It has enriched my life and reinforced my belief that most humans are good, kind, and want to help others. If I had known that when I started, it would have helped me greatly as I trudged through all of the steps in the surrogacy process. It is not because my surrogacy process and journey was especially difficult compared to others. It is that at the very beginning stages, there were so many steps in the surrogacy process that it felt daunting. Especially after all the years of disappointments and losses that had come before.
Now that I have crossed over to the other side so to speak, it was of course worth it! So now, along with enjoying my newly expanded family, I want to share how it feels to be on the other side! And the love for my surrogate is not something I expected to be feeling and writing about now! But as love oftentimes does, it makes me want to shout from the rooftops and tell everyone what an amazing woman my surrogate is, and tell the world I love her! Happy Valentine’s Day to all! For those of you that may step into the surrogacy world, I hope you experience the unique and amazing love that I have shared with you today!
J.M. (aka Owen’s mom)
If it is in your heart to help a family become parents by becoming a surrogate, contact Pathways To Parenthood today and get started. If having a baby through surrogacy is an option you are considering, take the first step and contact Pathways To Parenthood today! They have helped surrogates and intended parents come together in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, and Arkansas. If you live in the Midwest, they are the surrogacy agency for you! You can reach them at 913-469-5500 or at www.pathwaystoparenthood.com.
Happy Holidays From Pathways To Parenthood: An Egg Donor & Surrogacy Agency
From our family to yours, may this holiday season bring you peace, comfort, and joy. It is likely that will look a bit different this year for all of us, but we hope it is attainable for you and yours!
With the new year right around the corner (thank goodness!), we also wish you a fresh new start! If your fresh start includes building your family through egg donation or surrogacy, let’s talk! If you wish to help others by becoming an egg donor or becoming a surrogate, let’s talk!
If surrogacy and/or egg donation is your path to parenthood, or if you wish to help a family become parents by becoming a surrogate or egg donor, contact Pathways To Parenthood today and get started. We have helped surrogates and intended parents come together in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, and Arkansas. If you live in the Midwest, we are the surrogacy agency for you! You can reach us at 913-469-5500 or at kerry@pathwaystoparenthood.com
One final thought for closing out 2020 and beginning anew in 2021:
New beginnings are often disguised as painful endings.
Lao Tzu
Matching With Intended Parents: Do Surrogates Get To Choose?
This is a good and important question. And the answer is, it depends. There are many important steps in the surrogacy process when becoming a surrogate. One step that most potential surrogates are curious about, and view as extremely important is having a voice in the matching process. Surrogates prefer, and rightfully so, to have a say in the family they will work with.
One might wonder why this is even a topic to write about. The reason is simple: some surrogacy agencies do not give surrogates much say in the family they match with. A surrogacy agency that has a more business-oriented approach to the surrogacy journey may not understand the importance of having surrogates be fully engaged and involved in the decision-making matching process. If you are looking into becoming a surrogate, and it is important to you to have a say in who you match with, say so! Ask any surrogacy agency you consider working with about their matching process and how it works. Inquire about the steps in the matching process.
Becoming a surrogate and helping someone have a baby is one of the biggest and most important decisions you will make in your life. It can and should be an amazing experience that creates wonderful memories. The memories from your surrogacy journey will be with you forever so be sure they are all that you want them to be! Matching with the right family will greatly increase the likelihood of having wonderful memories of your surrogacy process and experience.
If you have it in your heart to help a family become parents by becoming a surrogate, contact Pathways To Parenthood today and get started. They have helped surrogates and intended parents come together in Kansas, Missouri, Colorado, Oklahoma, Iowa, Illinois, and Arkansas. If you live in the Midwest, they are the surrogacy agency for you! You can reach them at 913-469-5500 or at kerry@pathwaystoparenthood.com
