Canadian Infertility Awareness Week – 24-30th April

Canadian Infertility Awareness Week (CIAW) was first established in 2007 to help highlight the issue of infertility in Canada and the devastating effects it can have on anyone touched by it. Since then, it’s grown in strength helping to support those affected and raise awareness of its impact.

It’s now proudly the largest event of its kind helping to increase public awareness around the challenges anyone experiencing infertility face in starting or growing their families. 1 in 6 Canadians will be impacted by fertility struggles, and CIAW plays an important role in supporting and advocating for them and educating the wider community on infertility.

This year, the message of CIAW 2022 is manifestation and bringing our attention to the moments of joy we can all experience, even in dark times. Their goal is to ask those who have been affected by infertility to journal their experience “making note of the twists and turns that come with heart breaking disappointment, but also those moments that fill their hearts with profound joy”.

Reflecting on your journey to parenthood or making peace with being unable to become a parent can be incredibly helpful to yourself, and to others who are elsewhere on their journey.

CIAW are asking you to share your story, “be it the validation of your struggles, your first successful retrieval, that long awaited phone call reporting your fertilisation, first positive beta HCG or perhaps the sound your child makes when they are first placed in your arms”.

You may still be placing hope in the hands of your doctors and fertility nurses, and sharing your experience can help give hope and joy to others about to begin the same journey of hope.

Separately, Fertility Matters Canada (FMC) asked everyone to join them in wearing green on Wednesday 27th April to help spread awareness of infertility.

Green symbolises health, growth, life and fertility and in Canada, we wear green to raise awareness, show support and start important conversations about fertility, pregnancy, infant loss and family-building.

Even if you missed it, you can find out about FMC and the amazing work they do by visiting their website.