One man’s story of becoming a sperm donor

Becoming a sperm donor had always been on my mind since my mid-thirties, however I didn’t really know much about it or where to start so I just pushed the idea to the back of my mind and focussed on my career like most people my age at the time.

As things in my life and my circumstances started to change after I turned 40, I was able to give the concept more attention, which is why I embarked on my own journey to help bring a child into the world.

I was browsing the internet one night and a suggested advertisement popped up on my screen to become a sperm donor. Initially I didn’t click on it but as it kept appearing, I eventually I found the courage and clicked on it to find out more information and then I completed a form online and provided my contact details and I’m glad I did.

I was taken off guard when the phone rang one day, it was the donor coordinator from the fertility clinic calling to introduce herself. I think my heart skipped a beat, I was quite nervous to be honest.

She was very friendly and made me feel very comfortable, and she asked a series of questions and explained to me what all the steps were. She wanted to understand who I was as a person, my personal and family history, if there were any past illnesses as well as what my motives of becoming a sperm donor were and that they were for the right reasons.

I think what really worked for me was that she spoke to me like an individual and not just a donor becoming part of a process.

At the start of the process I didn’t realise I could make such special requests, such as who can and cannot use my donor sperm, the geographical region or country the donor recipient currently lives, restrict or permit the number of families (up to 5 families) that can be created using my donor sperm and whether or not to be informed if the recipient conceives or has a birth, and of course if I wanted to be contacted by the child when they turned 18.

For me personally, it was not an issue at all if the recipient was a single female; a heterosexual couple who may be struggling to conceive or if it was a lesbian couple wanting to start a family.

All I wanted to do was to help others start a family of their own. I know that love comes in all different forms, shapes and sizes, and knowing that the recipients also go through a detailed on boarding process, I felt that for anyone who’s going through the IVF program, they’re not only embarking on their journey to have a child, they are also wishing to bring a new life into this world and provide the child with unconditional love, support and encouragement, and if I can help with that process, then that’s the greatest gift of all.

For me, becoming a sperm donor has provided me with a sense of pride, fulfilment and humbleness that I have been able to help a single woman, or couple to start a family that they’ve always wanted.

It’s been such a positive process for me, so I’d encourage other guys to become a sperm donor.

IVF Australia have a donor seminar in their Sydney CBD clinic (Level 1, 33 York Street) coming up on April 9 from 6pm – 7.30pm. We’d like to invite everyone to come along to this free event if they’re interested in finding out more about what using a donor in fertility is like.

For more information, visit: www.ivf.com.au/fertility-seminars.