i When hopeful parents Kristen and Jeff began trying to conceive, they never expected the journey would involve a team of doctors and fertility treatment. This is their story.

Being diagnosed with cancer is difficult for anyone, but it can be especially devastating for patients who are young and still looking forward to having children. While some cancers are highly treatable, the treatments needed often impact the survivor's future fertility. In this story, we meet Ross and his wife Jackie, who share their experience with oncofertility preservation, fertility treatment and building their family.

First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes a baby...right? Well, not always! Most people expect that when they're ready to have their first child, they will be able to conceive relatively easily. But what happens when a PCOS diagnosis complicates that journey?

According to newly released data from the World Health Organization (WHO), 1 in 6 people globally now experience infertility, meaning millions of individuals and couples all over the world are struggling to grow their families. In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week, seven Illume Fertility patients opened up to share their own stories.

As a fertility specialist, I never expected to encounter my own roadblocks when my wife and I decided to grow our family. While it wasn't an easy journey, it allowed me to gain a new perspective on infertility that has given me even more compassion for my patients.

When Sarah and her husband began trying to conceive six years ago, they never imagined they'd end up needing the help of fertility treatment. After a long, winding road through multiple pregnancy losses, egg retrievals, embryo transfers, and countless tests and appointments, Sarah shares how this journey has shifted her perspective and turned her into a courageous fertility advocate - as well as what's next for their family.

Discovering you need the help of a fertility specialist to conceive can be overwhelming to anyone - throw in a global pandemic, and the experience becomes even more stressful. In this story, Alicia shares her fertility journey and the unexpected challenges along the way.

As awareness around infertility and fertility treatment grows, many people are becoming more familiar with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF). But what about all the other ways to make a family? While IVF is a great pathway to parenthood for many parents, it's not the only one!