This charity is helping Irish couples pay for fertility treatment

Fiona McPhillips and Joanna Donnelly know how lucky they are to have been able to access IVF treatments in Ireland.

They also know that many couples do not get that chance. That's why they decided to set up Pomegranate, a charity that provides financial help to those dealing with infertility. Pomegranate's goal is to ensure that couples struggling with fertility issues get that one step closer to becoming parents and that the price of IVF treatments in Ireland isn't the end of the road. Fiona told HerFamily that she and Joanna set up the charity because of their own positive experiences with IVF.

"We had both been through IVF and were very aware of how lucky we were to be able to afford it.

"We couldn't imagine how people would cope if they never even had the chance to try for a baby. So we started with the aim of funding one cycle of IVF but we had such a great response, we decided to set it up as a registered charity and keep it going."

One cycle of IVF treatment in Ireland costs about €4,500.

That's not including consultation fees, the cost of some medications, and the freezing of the semen and embryos if necessary. On average, couples struggling to conceive go through three cycles of IVF treatment. Understandably, this high cost creates a financial burden for many who are dealing with fertility related problems. Couple this with the emotional strain already associated with trying and failing to conceive and the entire experience is less than ideal. That's where Pomegranate comes in. The charity aims to ease some of that strain by providing the cost of one cycle of fertility treatment to eligible couples. Funds raised by Pomegranate pay for the cost of one IVF cycle. Dublin and Cork based fertility clinic, Sims, fund the blood tests, scans, and other additional costs. Fiona says that the majority of Pomegranate's funds come from a combination of donors and fundraisers.

"The women's mini-marathon is always a big day for us, as is the Dublin marathon. People also run cake sales, coffee mornings and other events and we receive some monthly donations by standing order."

This week, it was announced that Minister for Health Simon Harris was to bring a bill to cabinet regarding the regulation of IVF treatments in Ireland. It is also understood that the minister will detail a policy for State funded fertility treatment for those who cannot afford it. Although it is not yet known who will be eligible for this funding, or when it will be available, it's undeniable that this is a huge step in the right direction for those struggling to access fertility treatment in Ireland. Until then though, couples can still apply to charities like Pomegranate to fund their fertility treatments. Couples who have two full medical cards (one for each person), and whose doctors have recommended that they try IVF, will be eligible to enter Pomegranate's funding lottery. Fiona says that this is the way the charity has operated since it was founded in 2010.

"Every time we raise enough money for a cycle of IVF, we have a draw. Those who are not successful are put forward for the next lottery and so on."

It is estimated that one in six couples in Ireland struggle with fertility issues. There is hope for government funding in the future, but until then, couples will still have charities like Pomegranate to try and ease the financial burden of fertility treatments in Ireland. You can donate to Pomegranate here.