More and more Irish couples struggle with fertility, and despite the fact that it is becoming a more and more common issue, there is no denying that to many, it is a journey that can feel both lonely and isolating.
Which is why I think
this video by Google is so important – and so, so powerful.
Giving viewers a brief peek into
the all-consuming reality of struggling with infertility, the beautifully moving video shows us how anxiety-driven web searches, vlog clips, and calendars packed with appointments can literally become someone's entire existence while desperately chasing the dream of becoming a parent.
Just take a look and prepare to feel all the feels:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oto2uxeLOrw
Candace Wohl, a fertility advocate featured in this video,
writes to Mother.ly of her experience:
"For seven years, Mother's Day was the worst day of the year for me. It was an observance that felt completely out of reach, yet commercially and socially it was a reminder that I couldn't escape. I wanted to be a mum, but I was having trouble becoming one."
As Candace and her husband felt their private life had been invaded by fertility specialists, they also felt that the outside world didn't understand what they were going through. So she found solidarity online.
"I found support groups, blogs and resources. I wasn't as alone as I thought—like many, I had been silent about my struggles with infertility.
It's a less-than-tasty casserole of heartache, injections and surgeries, failed adoption placements and financial devastation."
Through her years of personal experience, Candace has since become an advocate for infertility awareness, and hopes that speaking up will help break down the barriers surrounding infertility. She was excited to see Google using their platform to further this message. "I hope that this year, even one more person out there will realize they're not alone," shares Wohl.
It is so important to get the message across to women that they are not alone, that there are many in the same boat, and this video will no doubt help play a part in that.
