Dear Friend of The AFA,

Happy summer! I can’t quite believe the year is half over. Actually it seems impossible. But I guess given the breakneck pace of events, most of us feel like time is slipping through our fingers.

And really time is critical. It’s time for us to take a hard look at the veto with which President Bush knocked out the near-term chances for expanded stem cell research. This is particularly galling to me and the AFA’s constituents because by a significant majority, those of us who’ve created the embryos that are at the heart of his action, would like to have the option to donate our unused embryos for this work.

By this action, the president has imposed a personal political, religious and moral agenda over the express desire of 60% of Americans who support the federal underwriting of expanded efforts in this critical area. Please read inside about the veto and the new study confirming that most infertile couples with unused embryos would donate to research if they could. Remember, we’re talking about the right to find closure to a long and difficult period in our lives. We may each choose a different path, but none of those paths should be closed to us because of one individual’s or one faction’s particular point of view.

I hope all of us will write to our Senators and Representatives, urging them to vote to override this veto. Stem cell research holds so much promise for so many diseases, including infertility, that if we feel good about donating our embryos to that causes, we should be free to do so.

OK, that’s out of my system. Now on to other matters. When this reaches you, some of The AFA staff will be in France for the annual international gathering of patient leaders, reproductive and sexual health care advocates called WorldFAM. The AFA is proud to be the founding partner in this global education, communication and advocacy initiative that seeks to advance equitable reproductive health care policies, increase access to fertility treatment as we move to change attitudes about infertility, reproductive difficulties, sexual health and fertility preservation.

Since its inception in 2002, The AFA has raised funding, produced materials and provided technical support for WorldFAM which culminates every June in World Fertility Awareness Month.

Clare Brown

This year, we’ve changed up and moved online. Now you can access and learn about the amazing work of the dedicated WorldFAM partner organizations by logging on to the new site, www.worldfam.org. This site is something to behold. Really. It’s huge, loaded with all kinds of information. It will give you an insight into the how and why the rest of the world is fighting the stigma of infertility, how people are mobilizing and pressing their governments for access to health care and education. Please logon and feel their power, intelligence and determination. These people are inspiring. In fact, check out the recipient of the World Fertility Awareness Month Lifetime Achievement Award, Clare Brown of Infertility Network UK. She’s been a beacon in the patient leader movement, fighting for the rights of infertile people in her own country and lending her expertise to others around the globe.

And speaking of websites, look for the thoroughly refurbished, rejuvenated and very content rich AFA website that will debut in the middle of July. We’ll send an email notice to you when the day arrives, but I can’t wait to share it with you. With its incredible interactivity, you’ll be able to post feedback any time, give us comments, ask questions, talk about what’s important to you, what you want to learn about and share what you know. All the good things you’ve come to expect from The AFA will still be there – the message boards, the always-deepening wealth of publications and the notices. But now you’ll also find the daily blog by yours truly. Of course, I’ll have guest bloggers, too. You’ll find the sections devoted to the new areas of The AFA expanded mission – sexual and reproductive health and wellness. It’s really quite thrilling. The url will stay the same but everything—from the sleek clean new look to the easy site navigation—is designed to enhance your experience.

Anyway, I’ve got to run. There’s a whole world of patient leaders I’ve got to meet and learn from. See you next month.

Warm regards,

Pamela Madsen
Executive Director