Here are real stories from our clients, talking about their hopes, fears, trials, and successes in their own words. We love hearing them, and hope you find them as inspiring as we do. Additionally, we receive great feedback from clients all the time - please check out our testimonials page here.
Hi! I am Janelle and my wife is Kim. We met and fell in love in 2009. We have a bit of an age difference and Kim already had two children from a previous relationship. So, ensuring we both were interested in adding to the family was a big deal for me.
In my earlier years, I had never really thought much about children. However, finding the person that you are meant to be with can set aflame the desire to share it with as many people as possible.
So, we decided that at some point, adding more children to the equation was a must. We were married in 2011 and soon began our journey to growing our family.
I am Dr Sharmistha Guha. An Obstetrician & Gynaecologist by profession, practicing in London for the last 18 years. I have a fulfilling job, a flourishing career and have made a place and name for myself in the profession. I live in one of the best cities of the world and earn enough to enjoy life to the fullest.
I am also a singer, and music is my passion. Even in this aspect, I was lucky to do stage shows, recorded my singles and continue to nurture my passion.
But despite all these, I felt a void in my life. Not for companionship or love as I have experienced those and am single by choice. The void is of a child. A child who will be part of me. A child who can give and take unconditional love. And mind you this is the true unconditional love. A child who can make me a mother and a completely different person with different priorities.
I suppose I'm a bit of an anomaly, as my original plan for children was to have them on my own (I have a bit of an independent streak.) Life plans never seem to work out the way you envision, and I ended up having my first child with a former partner.
The relationship ended, but I knew I wanted another child. Of course there were the practical considerations, as I didn't want too much of an age gap, and at the same time, I didn't want to deal with the extensive emotional, legal, and financial costs if I met someone else and it didn't work out.
I started researching donor sperm, but as a Canadian who also had specific requirements, the options were increasingly limited.
Kennedy Center, Washington D.C, July 5th 2014, was a day so beautifully clear, I can never forget. It was my first time in D.C., and I was over the moon delighted. In this moment, we were not just two women in love, we were best friends. We were ready to solidify our true love; it was today that the woman of my dreams and I finally decided, after 9 years of blissful love, that we were going to get married.
After getting married, we settled in our first home together in my wife's hometown in West Virginia. As mothers to a 13 year old girl, we decided that we wanted to expand our family, and being a native of Los Angeles, CA, I googled top cryobanks in California and here in West Virginia, and that's how I discovered the California Cryobank.
My name is Laura and I would like to share my family’s story of infertility.
My husband Jon and I had been married for three years. I was nearing the end of nursing school when we began to discuss having a baby. Jon wanted to wait a little longer and let me get established in my job. We had prevented pregnancy in every way possible up to this point.
Later that year, after I graduated and began nursing, all methods of preventing were gone. Jon and I understood that "It may not happen right away." So our journey to try and conceive began.
I conceived Aurora through IVF with my eggs and sperm from California Cryobank donor #11659 in November of 2009 at age 43. After graduating from college, I worked as a full-time professional dancer with a classical dance company for 10 years and got married at 32. Before I dated my now ex-husband, I told him that I wanted to get married and have kids, and that I wasn't dating men who didn't want to get married and have kids at some point in their life.
When I was 25 it seemed like all my friends were having kids and all my siblings had kids and I felt like I was missing out. It took me a couple of years to figure out how to reach my own dreams of becoming a mother.
With school behind me and a career that I loved, I decided to do some research by Googling fertility clinic's. I had never heard of a Reproductive Endocrinologist but it didn't take much research to know that was what I needed. The closest one to me was 2 hours away, so I set up an appointment for Jan 31st.
Once Emily and I decided that we were going to start "our" family, it was exciting and scary at the same time.
We looked and looked at CCB's website, and once I saw the perfect donor I just knew it, we both knew it! CCB made it easy for us to find a healthy, smart, handsome, and honorable donor.
After the news from the doctor that we were blessed with a baby boy, there were no words to describe the gratitude that we both felt towards the donor for giving us the ability and opportunity to become parents.
At 34 years old I hadn't met Mr. Right, but I didn't want to give up on my dream of becoming a mother. After much thought, I decided to try to become a mom on my own. I looked at a couple of different sperm banks, but I picked CCB because it had the best selection of open ID donors.
I felt like the choice to meet the donor is a decision for the child to make in the future, not for me to make for him or her now. Once I narrowed my list down to a handful of donors, I showed the profiles to my family and a few friends and we listened to the audio interviews together.
As the excitement builds my partner Diana and I are extremely blessed to have done our research and ended up finding the California Cryobank!!
Diana and I (Danielle) first laid eyes on each other about 5 years ago, her being a RN in a busy ER, and me a busy EMT on an ambulance, hit it off and became great friends.
Years later I got lucky and discovered that Diana was not only my best friend, but my soul mate. As our relationship grew the talk of having kids came up, and up again.
Like so many people these days, we decided to have children later in life. And, like most people, we thought it would be easy. It wasn't.
First, we had to decide which of us would try first. One doctor told us my partner should since she, "had older eggs." Next, we had to decide how long we would try and how much we would spend.
We ended up trying for longer and spending a lot more money than we ever intended, but California Cryobank was with us every step of the way.
The minute I met JD, I knew I wanted to spend my life with him. My dream came true when he asked me to marry him five years into our relationship.
We knew as soon as we were married, we would try for the first of three babies, and nothing would stand in the way of our plan.
Reality bites.
After almost a year of tracking ovulation and staring at calendars, we sought out help.
My partner and I considered bringing a child into the world (and making our own little family) off and on for almost 10 years; after all there was a lot to consider and plan for.
We didn't know any other same-sex couples who were in our situation and we needed all of the information we could get.
I spent a lot of time researching articles and news pieces on using donor sperm and we discussed the implications of this option. Once we fully understood the process and the procedure I began to look into sperm banks.
Our journey to mommy-hood began in the early spring of 2011, when, after years of dreaming about babies, my wife and I finally began to take steps towards getting pregnant.
We began researching cryobanks in earnest, the internet and advice from friends being our tools.
CCB was an easy final choice as we felt extremely confident with their ability to provide high-quality, diverse donors and an abundance of resources and support to guide us through the admittedly strange process.
A Story From Pennsylvania
Your Genetic Counselors made the difference! I have spend months reviewing multiple cryobank websites in the United States because I needed genetic counseling support and specific testing on my donor.
I was incredibly impressed with Marilyn for her expertise and sensitivity to my specific needs. She has helped me with the most important and difficult decision of my life.
With gratitude for the genetic counseling program, I would not have chosen CCB if it were not for their seasoned experience and guidance! Thank you!
Emma & Family's Story
Four years ago my husband and I learned that we were going to need donor sperm to get pregnant. The decision and donor selection process was stressful, but La'Trice Allen made it all much easier to handle. La'Trice was kind, helpful, and very supportive in a very sincere and thoughtful way.
Soon after, we were blessed with a beautiful little 3-year-old Emma. Last year, we decided to try to have another child. Unfortunately, after going through several IVF cycles, cyst retractions, and really awful tests, we ran out of our stored vials. Although we were devastated, we still had 2 insurance-covered retrievals left (IVF) and our plan was to complete the cycle(s) before giving up.
Last Thursday I called La'Trice to again see if any vials of Emma's donor had come available. She gently informed me that there were still no vials available and that she was sorry. Saddened by the news, I ordered a vial from a new donor. About an hour later, La'Trice called me back to tell me that she just received a cancellation for 3 vials of our original donor! It was absolutely unbelievable. I had tears of joy to learn that these vials were 3 possible chances in trying to conceive.
La'Trice is a wonderful person who understands what her customers need and goes well above her job description. She works tirelessly to help people who are often unfortunate situations and need to use donor tissue to conceive children.
A Story From South Africa
Firstly, we want to thank our wonderful donor! If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have three incredible children. Thanks too to the California Cryobank for making it all possible!
We imported sperm all the way to South Africa (with ease) and from the same donor, we have three amazing, loving, beautiful children. We have more vials stored in case we ever want to expand our family.
We could never express our gratitude enough for the most wonderful gifts we have received. Thank you, thank you and much love!
A Story From Florida
Just wanted to share some really great news with you that is a very positive outcome on this whole situation. As you recommended, I watched the website like a hawk.
I checked on this donor every day or every other day for the last several months since we spoke. I saw IT change the way the info was represented from 'retired' to 'more vials expected in future.' Then finally, last night, I saw the vials come available!!!! I was so excited! I called this morning and was able to order an additional 8 vials which I'm sure will be enough for my needs. I couldn't be happier.
Thank you so much for your help in bringing this matter to such a positive conclusion. The staff in the ordering department were incredibly supportive and helpful at every step. Now, let's pray for a healthy pregnancy!!! This time, I needed the sample the very next day and CCB was able to come through for us. No problems at all.
In fact, my doctor's office already dealt with CCB and they knew of La'Trice Allen by name, so I did not even have to tell them. It is nice to know that I did not even need to give them phone numbers or names. They had all that already. Thanks a million!! (Make that many millions)!!!
A Story From Virginia
I had to write to thank CCB's entire staff for their help as I start this process. Your staff is amazing! Everyone I have spoken to, from the Genetics Department to Client Services is incredibly knowledgeable, helpful, professional and they are all extremely nice.
To my total shock, I found out from my RE that I was a carrier for genetic disorder. I contacted your Genetics Department to figure out how my genetic test would impact my donor selection. I was connected with Pamela Callum who is awesome! She spent time answering all of my questions and then some. She followed up with me and has been extremely responsive and proactive trying to help me with her expertise. She connected me with Client Services and I worked with Sheena Porter - who was just fantastic - so that I could make my purchase.
I just can't thank you enough. I spent a lot of time comparing different sperm banks and I was confident in selecting CCB. Your staff has justified my confidence!