Thursday, March 12, 2009

Success in Georgia!

Fertile Hope rallied its members to speak out against a bill that was pending in the Georgia State Senate (SB 169) and our voice was heard! The bill sought to place severe limitations on fertility treatments (in response to the octomom!), some of which had the potential to ban embryo freezing for cancer patients. More than 100,000 letters and emails were sent from the collective cancer and reproductive communities. Additionally, testimony from the Georgia reproductive medicine community, individual patients (including a pregnant breast cancer survivor!), and advocacy groups was heard. As a result, those limitations were removed from the bill, and cryopreservation of embryos is now expressly protected. Ever wonder if your voice can make a difference? This is proof - it can!

2 comments:

  1. As a 5 year cancer survivor, I am happy that there is an organization such as years that can have an impact on the bill in Georgia. As cancer patients, we should not be denied freezing our embryos because of the octomom. After this happened, I noticed a reproductive endocrinologist on the news and in the media expressing how doctors have to strictly follow the ASRM guidelines. He went on Oprah and he specifically said how many eggs should be transferred at certain ages. In a news clipping he states that he is not a reproductive policeman to tell people what to do. Here is link:http://www.cbc-network.org/research_display.php?id=380. I feel these contradictory views give rise to bills like the one in Georgia which in turn, includes cancer patients. It's unfair because cancer patients want to preserve their fertility, so they can have a family one day.

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  2. Here is the link from the above comment:http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_print.asp?menu=c10400&no=384789&rel_

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