Are you willing to share your story?

Fairfax Cryobank

I am writing a book that would be of potential interest to your clients and would like to ask for your help identifying potential contributors to this volume. I would be very grateful if you would ask your team to take some time to forward this email to families who have welcomed children into their lives by assisted reproduction (donor egg, donor sperm and surrogacy).

The topic of how children, now adults, feel about their beginnings in alternative reproduction, is of deep interest to me because, though an adult now, I was conceived by donor insemination. My biological father was open to being known at the allowed time (age 18). The experience of waiting, learning and adjusting to this information is something I’ve given a great deal of thought to. I anticipate a collection of narratives about our wide variety of experiences with the personal meanings associated with assisted reproduction might be of interest to others as well.

I am inviting others who might like to share their story about their experience and the meaning of this for them over time. I am open to those who’d like to have a conversation and allow me to take notes or those who would like to write and contribute an essay. I am interested in learning what ways this experience might impact one’s sense of self, perspectives on life and/or relationships with others

Anyone interested in contributing their story related to having been brought into life through DI, Donor Egg or Surrogacy or other related means should write to me at the below address. Any essays should be under 1000 words (double-spaced) and be accompanied by a brief bio (less than 50 words) and contact information (email and phone). The projected publication date is June 2016 and all essay contributors should submit any writing no later than
Jan. 24, 2015. Thanks for passing this email along.

Annie Arrighi-Allisan
Email: artchildrenspeak@gmail.com

Sincerely,
Annie Arrighi-Allisan
Harvard College '15
Degree Candidate in Neurobiology