Testimonials

My wife and I are both Dutch but lived in London for several years when infertility hit us. When we were first informed about my azoospermia we felt lost. The GP couldn't offer any clear perspective on what we were in for the coming time. We had a couple of months between the first few results and our referral to the fertility clinic at UCLH. In that time we felt lost, unsure of what will happen, will we ever have children. My wife in particular took it hard, as she cannot deal well with uncertainty and having to wait for action. She happened upon various podcasts and social media profiles that offered their perspective on their fertility journey, one of which was Shaun's. I found it really helpful initially because he was open and honest, and offered clear mental health advice. As we learned more and more about my diagnosis, the parallels between me and Shaun grew, me also having a negative mTESE and having to go for a donor. His perspective on the journey and the fact that he has a happy family with two wonderful children offered me a lot of hope that my wife and I could have that too. At the same time, I was in contact with a male fertility support group via Fertility Network UK. It was all online, very open and low key, friendly and accommodating. All in all, peer support offered me the perspective that my infertility diagnosis is not the end of the story. It gave me and my wife hope that we could still become parents, but we just need to go a different route. People have walked that path before and have been successful. Not always, but at least the door to parenthood is not slammed shut for us indefinitely.

When I first received the news about azoospermia, I was in disbelief. Even after retesting confirmed the diagnosis, I found myself overwhelmed with a range of emotions, similar to what one experiences during the grieving process. Despite my doctor’s reassurance that others face this too, I initially felt very alone. However, my wife and I discovered this group through Shaun’s blog, and it has been a turning point for us. Being part of this community has allowed me to connect with others who are on similar fertility journeys, each at different stages. Talking to members of this group has been invaluable in helping me process my emotions and find hope. The mental and emotional support I’ve received here has been something I didn’t always feel I could get from friends or family. I’m truly grateful for this community, and I’m honoured to be part of a group that offers such meaningful support to others.

I was totally lost until I found a group of men from a range of backgrounds, countries and life experiences going through the same thing as me. Truly helped me get through a devastating episode in my life.

From feeling like I was the only man in the world with Azoospermia which resulted in self-harm, finding this group was a powerful moment for me. When I realised that this isn’t my fault and that it’s happened to others has helped me try and accept this situation my wife and I are in.