We are pleased to announce this year’s Fertile Future Evening of Hope Gala, to be held at the Fairmont Vancouver on Thursday, April 14th, 2016.

Fertile Future (fertilefuture.ca) is a Canadian charitable organization that provides fertility preservation information and financial assistance to young Canadians with cancer.

The Evening of Hope Gala raises awareness and funds for Fertile Future’s efforts to improve access to fertility treatments. Every year the charity acknowledges the achievements of oncology professionals who have made significant contributions in the field of fertility preservation. 

This year the charity will honour Dr. Sheila Pritchard of BC Children’s Hospital and B.C. Women’s Hospital & Health Centre. As her colleague in the management of oncofertility issues in adolescents and board member with Fertile Future, Dr. Roberts will present Dr. Pritchard’s award.

Fertile Future

Modern cancer treatments for young men and women have improved cure rates, but the price paid for survival is often the loss of reproductive options. Many of the beneficiaries of Fertile Future’s support are young adults completely blind-sided by their diagnosis and unprepared for the resulting implications for their fertility.

Fertility preservation is an expensive endeavour. Financially, young patients are often not in a position to afford expensive fertility treatments. We see students with the looming burden of loans, young professionals digging out of debt, or individuals between jobs. 

We believe that all fertility services should be within reach financially, to provide all Canadians with the hope of creating a family.

For women receiving support, Fertile Future provides up to $2500 toward the cost of one IVF cycle.  Participating clinics must discount their treatments by at least one-third. Often the medications are provided free of charge by the various pharmaceutical companies. 

Men can bank sperm samples before treatments at relatively low cost. For men receiving support, Fertile Future provides reimbursement for sperm cryopreservation up to $350.00, which would cover the bulk of costs for the freezing and one year of storage. 

We look forward to the opportunity to participate in the gala this month for this very worthy charity.