Family Day without Families?
Family Day is February 18th for those in the Canadian provinces of Alberta, Ontario and Saskatchewan. Since I ‘m an Albertan girl, this pertains to us! School is closed this day and many businesses are as well. It’s a Statutory Holiday which ‘celebrates the importance of families and family life for people and their communities’. So in essence it’s all about My Chaos, aka, my children.
Weather permitting, we might head outdoors together or maybe just some quality time spent inside if the temperatures take a turn for the worst. Either way, I know we’ll enjoy this time together no matter what the day brings.
Yet, what about those that don’t have the entire aspect of ‘family’ that they so long for?
Specifically, I’m talking about those struggling with infertility. For some, this same highly celebrated holiday will be met with the painstaking reminder of what they don’t have.
If you think the numbers are low, let me remind you that 1 in 6 Albertans are dealing with infertility. That’s a lot higher than I would have imagined, it really is a sad fact.
Truth is, the Western World as a whole is suffering from a fertility decline.
Infertility isn’t only happening in the 30s and 40s age groups, like many assume. Infertility is affecting younger couples as well, with 15% affected of ages 15-29, and 14% of ages 30-34 {source}.
Quoting a recent article by The Globe and Mail, “a new age of American impotence is at hand“. It goes onto say that, “We need productive younger people to support unproductive older people” which we all know to be true.
With aging populations and a fertility decline, what’s going to happen to our society? Well, unfortunately we are heading straight towards this path – In Japan, sales of adult diapers now exceed sales of baby diapers {source!}.
So, how can we raise this population, despite the fertility decline?
It’s no surprise that many people suffering from infertility turn to In Vitro Fertilization {IVF}. Yet, this medical treatment comes with much emotional, physical and financial stress, way too much.
If you haven’t read my previous post on IVF treatment and all the associated costs, please take a moment to brief yourself. It’s not an easy treatment to say the least.
How do we help more people celebrate Family Day, without all the stress involved with the current IVF process in Alberta?
I strongly believe in the Generations of Hope ABHC4IVF Campaign for Albertans. With this campaign, needed funding for fertility treatments could come from the Alberta Government itself.
It’s an attainable, realistic and overall financially smart choice for everyone. Again, please read my previous post for financial statistics which prove that public funding would actually save this province money, to name only one benefit of many.
How can you help and show support?
- Please sign this petition and get in on the publicly funded IVF conversation on the Generations of Hope Facebook Page as well as @gensofhope on Twitter or just using the hashtag #ABHC4IVF.
- You can also show your support by attending the Generations Of Hope, 2013 Images of Hope Annual Fundraiser. It’s a volunteer-run initiative being held in Calgary, in March. Live auction items include hotel and concert tickets to see One Direction in Miami, a trip for 4 to Walt Disney World and much more. It’s going to be a wonderful event, and I hope that many MANY people attend and support this fundraiser.
For the importance of families and family life for people and their communities, in Alberta. <– wait, I said this sentence at the beginning of this post. Am I talking about publicly funded fertility treatments or Family Day itself. How about both.
Because we simply cannot have ‘Family Day’ in Alberta, without families.
I am proud to be apart of the Generations of Hope social media team,
as I 100% support publicly funded IVF. The opinions on this blog are my own.
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Very informative post. I haven’t struggled with infertility myself, but some of my close friends have and I see how hard it is. Getting information in people’s hands helps give them comfort and hope, I think.
I lived in Alberta for four years when my husband was stationed in Edmonton. I remember Family Day! I’m in Nova Scotia and they don’t have it here. They should though!
I think they should publicly fund IVF. Its so expensive and only rich people can afford it or people who go into some serious debt.
Exactly Stacie – for those who cannot afford it at all, why should the chance of IVF be only for those that can?
Such an important cause. I am not in Canada but I will share to get the word out.
Thanks Ellen, awareness is so crucial!
Family day, wish we had that here! This is such a great cause – everyone deserves the opportunity to have a child, and with the technology being out there, it would be great if it was accessible to anyone who wanted to embark on the journey.
I agree Crissy, it shouldn’t be only for those with the financial means to give it a try!
Family Day sounds amazing! I’ve had several friends struggle with infertility and the costs surrounding the treatments are so high. This is a great article that I will be sure to share with my friends.
Thanks for sharing Amanda! From myself and everyone that would like to see public funding happen!
I have several friends who have struggled with this, not to mention the costs! Anything that can help these families would be amazing.
Interesting. I think people often forget that a child doesn’t need to be carried and birthed by his or her parents to be a part of a family. There are so many needy foster children and older children looking for adoptive parents and in my opinion, it’s also an important option to consider. There are all kinds of families, after all.
What a great post! This is exactly what I am talking about too. How can we keep this society supporting and growing to its optimum? We need investments in families and children. All Albertans benefit from healthy families and healthy families sometimes need help getting started. That’s why we need funding for IVF.
Well said Paula, the time is now!!
Wow the statistics are sobering.
I keep wondering if it doesn’t have a lot to do with our diet and environment right now.
Very important information
I also love that they have family day!
BC is having our first Family Day this year! You have brought up some startlings stats. I’m going to go and sign the petition now! Thanks
Thanks for your support Anne!!
this is amazing considering were I Iive in Ontario everyone seems pregnant! its a small town Military base and the majority of women here are in their early 20s with already 2 children or pregnant! Didnt realize how infertility is so bad in Canada!
A startling fact, isn’t it?
Infertility is up. So are birth defects (some causing children to live only a few hours or years) and miscarriages. While these things are sad, I believe we brought it on ourselves. The world is overpopulated and Mother Nature is trying to compensate. Not saying that your cause is any less valid, we all support what we believe in and I admire people for that, but I personally would rather people turn to adoption than IVF. It costs less and helps more.
I think all of Canada should celebrate family day.
I signed the petition. I had no idea the numbers were so high.
I love the idea of Family Day. I have not dealt with infertility personally, although I have friends that have/are. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it is emotionally for them to deal with. Thanks for helping to raise awareness!
This Monday is the first ever Family Day here in BC – looking forward to hanging out with my kiddos!
Yes! I personally know the pain of this. Thank you for bringing attention to the issue.
Such a great post, Tammi. Thank you for sharing this info.
I have struggled with infertility due to PCOS (Polycsytic Ovarian Syndrome) and very thankful and blessed with 2 little ones, both on infertility treatments.
It was a rollercoaster of emotions, lots of tears and heartache.
I have signed the petition and I cannot wait for the day (hopefully sooner than later) when IVF will be publicly funded!
Hi Carol, Thanks for sharing your story and thank you for signing the petition.
It’s such an important issue!
My daughter is struggling with this issue right now. it is heart wrenching to watch . I would hope all the provinces & not just Alberta would address this very important issue
Exactly right, Suzie. I think this is definitely something that should be nation wide!
very information article, hope help becomes universal
you are truly an amazing person 🙂
My sister is trying to conceive and this information will surely help. Thanks
Great article, it’s eye opening to see things from other’s perspective when it’s not something we have to deal with ourselves.
i think this is very great article, i wish more people did this
Great information
I live in BC and the 11th is our very first Family Day! The kids have decided that we are going to play board games all day long!
I have a friend who was very lucky to end up with two children after struggling with infertility for several years.
My sister in law had a really hard time. She had few miscarriages, she ended up having to get some medication. She gets extremely sick with colds and somehow it knocked everything out of wack. Lucky all is well she now has 3 beautiful girls.
I used to wish that I wasn’t as fertile as I’ve found I am. I already have two kids and didn’t want more, two was more than enough for us. And my pregnancies were very difficult and painstacking. I thought I had a heart attack when I was pregnant with my son only to find out I had bells palsley in my 3rd trimester. And the birth control methods drove me and my husband nuts. But this really makes you look at matters in a different perspective. I am so blessed to have been able to given birth to the two children I have when so many struggle to have just one.
great post and thanks for raising awareness for this.
I think Family Day is a great concept! We don’t have any day like that in the US that I know of. Of all the things we could celebrate, family surely is one of the most important!
BC will be celebrating it’s 1st Family Day this Monday Feb 11 I’m not sure why our Premier chose to pick a different day than the rest of Canada celebrating but we aren’t complaining:)
It’s very sad that so many people are struggling with infertility. Is it too much processed food or chemicals in cleaning products or stress or PTSD? We need to figure it out.
I’m in Ontario and I’ve come across people who’ve needed help. Some for medical, some for personal. Infertility can make a huge impact on someone’s life. I have a cousin who found out in her early 20s she wouldn’t be able to have children of her own. I also have a friend who has recently been doing IVF. She had 2 insertions where she was able to get pregnant, but miscarried early on. She’s on her last one now. She’s done her insertion and has a confirmed pregnancy with good numbers, but I know how stressed she is. She admitted to me that they’ve run out of embryos and money and this is their last chance. This has been a hard road and struggle for them and I’m sure if they had some help, at least the stress of money could have been somewhat relieved.
Raising kids is expensive enough, to have to start things off after spending all of it conceiving is heart wrenching.
My thoughts are with your cousin, Tracy. I wish her a happy and healthy 9 months!
The US really needs to pick up this holiday. It seems like we are getting so far away from family values. I hope you and your family enjoy your day.
Very informative, I liked how you provided some statistics
It is worrisome that we face this trend. I wonder if stress caused by the ever quickening pace of our technologically advanced society is causing this.A worse thought is that we may be affecting our offspring with the by products of industry. whatever the reason, I am glad we have some hope and some assistance for those effected. I sincerely hope none of my suspicions or concerns are on the mark.
I think Family Day should be celebrated in America too. I do feel sorry for those that don’t have family, must be hard on them.
1 in 6 is a shocking statistic. I had no idea.
We’re working ourselves to extinction. It’s a bad imbalance to our society.
The US should have a national Family Day! I love that!
as we are going to TTC soon I sure hope that we will not suffer from this issue. Very informative article.
A wonderful and supportive post. This is BC’s first ‘Family Day’. We walked into town this morning and there was so much activity. Everyone should have the same opportunities in life regardless of income. The fees for this are terrible. I am quite sure that people do go into debt trying. All for this measure.
Wow. I had no idea how high the percentage was. this is not good. I am going to sign the petition.
bringing hope to so many women such a great movement
I am not in Canada but I don’t know what I would do without my family!
We had family day for the first time (BC)! It was yesterday. We went to the aquarium!
We try to include others in our family times some of the time because we know how hard it is to be without family on days that are normally family days (not just the holiday ones but Sunday afternoons and that type of thing.
I am hearing a ton of tweets on this issue. I had 2 kids by deciding which month I wanted to get pregnant and them getting pregnant in those months. My Mom warned me the women in this family are very furtile so be careful. I can’t imagine wanting children and not having that choice because my body or partners body would not cooperate. Not because to or won’t be a great mom, but simply because for one reason or another I could not conceive. Heres hoping for a speedy solution since we all know time is of the essence in this situation.
This was a great piece. Even though I am in Ontario usually once something new like this comes to light & passed in a province its not long for other provinces to get on board. I agree children are very expensive but love kindness & caring is free *at the moment* . I am a foster parent so I also strongly believe in adoption from your own Country/province/city because so many children from every age range need a caring home & loving family. I always believed we should take care of our own back yards before worrying about our neighbors *adopting locally* & as well every child is truely one caring adult away from success
Wow didnt know that. I only assumed it was people who are having kids later in life.
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