What a night in Paris, @definingmum and I are absolutely over the moon to have won âBest Fertility Education Projectâ at the @theeuropean.fertility.society fertility awards for our work on @paths_to_parenthub , supporting those building their families through donor conception.
Itâs hard to put into words exactly what this means. Just over 10 years ago, I discovered I was donor conceived during a family argument, a moment that shattered so much and marked the start of a complex and difficult journey. But ⌠that experience was eventually a catalyst - a drive to create change, to ensure the next generation of donor conceived people and their families grow up with truth, support and understanding at the heart of their stories and relationships.
Paths to Parenthub is such a special community, and Iâm incredibly proud to stand alongside so many who care deeply and work tirelessly to make a difference.
Thank you to everyone whoâs reached out with kind words, and a big shoutout to the rest of our team, some of whom couldnât be with us in Paris.
This is for all of us. đ
@parenthoodinmind@eleanor.nickerson_smith@alwaysdesigningsomething@the_stork_and_i@dr_michelle_tolfrey@dr_avital_pearlman
This week @donorconceivedaotearoa produced a great post regarding the connection between adolescent curiosity about donor conception and secure parental attachment. (if you havenât seen the post I recommend checking it out) - for me, this quote In particular really resonated with me.
âCuriosity about donor conception is not a sign of a weak parental bond - itâs the sign of a strong oneâ.
As a result it got me thinking about the difference between leaning in to curiosity as oppose to shying away from it, and what we can do practically as parents to foster these situations.
Are there any other ways you can think of to lean in to your childâs curiosity about their conception story ? âŚ
Hayley xx
#lgbtqia #lgbtqparents #gayparents #donorconceived #donorconception #spermdonor #eggdonor #deivf #infertility #parenting #twomummies #twodads #twodaddies #twomoms #smbc #soloparentsbychoice #singlemomsbychoice #singlemumbychoice #infertilitysupport #infertilitywarrior #dcp2rp
For Christmas this year, I gave my dad the latest Elton John âLockdownâ album. He sent me the song , âChosen Familyâ , a collaboration with Rina Sawayama and proudly stated it was his favourite song out of all titles đĽ°. My Dadâs message has inspired me to create this reel.
Being a late discovery donor conceived person has brought me some struggles, but I truly believe the experience is helping me to become a better parent to our own donor conceived children.
Feel free to share , follow or create your own version of the reel !
Best wishes,
Hayley xx
#donorconceivedadult #donorconception #donorconceived #donorsiblings #donorspermivf #donorsperm #donoreggs #ttc #ttcwarrior #infertility #infertilityawareness #familysecrets #ancestrydna #malefactorinfertility #unexplainedinfertility #chosenfamily #lgbtq #lgbtqfamily #transparent #twomoms #twomums #twodads #twodaddies #twomommies #gayparents #loveislove #twins #honesty #lgbtmummiestribeđ #fertilityawareness
Exciting News!! đ
From a chance encounter at a fertility conference in 2025âŚ
⌠to a meaningful partnership between a leading egg bank and a patient support organisation.
Weâre so excited to announce that all patients at Ovacy Egg Bankďżź will now receive -
6 months complimentary membership to Paths to Parenthubďżź
More accessible support, amazing ⌠thank you @ovacy.eggbank for investing into the wellbeing of families built through donor conception đ (even if Becky and I looked more like dinner ladies than medical staff in our scrubs đ¤đŤŁ)
Keen to learn more about Ovacy Egg Bank? they are exhibiting at The Fertility Show this weekend, @definingmum and I will be there on the Sunday so come say hi!
Over four years ago, Hayley @allthings_donorconception and I made this reel.
Weâd only recently met and were still figuring out what we had in common, what was different, and what it meant to hold both at the same time. Both as a recipient parent and a donor conceived person.
What we found was something we keep coming back to, again and again, in our work together... that feelings arenât mutually exclusive.
Just because I feel overwhelming joy and gratitude for our family, doesnât mean I canât also grieve the genetic connection we donât share.
Just because Hayley feels happy and grateful for her life and her family, doesnât mean she canât also feel frustrated at industry practices, or a deep drive to create change for donor conceived people.
Both things can be true, at the same time, without one cancelling the other out. Itâs not a contradiction, but the reality of donor conception for many!
Weâre re-sharing this one again 4 years on because the message is still so true, even though a lot has changed since we pressed record!
We went from two people whoâd recently met, to colleagues and now close friends who get to do this work together every day through @Paths_to_Parenthub , for which Iâm very grateful!
Have you ever felt two emotions that you felt maybe âshouldnâtâ go together?
Does this resonate? Weâd love to hear from you in the comments.
(Also... I still love this song!đś)
#donorconception #donorconceptionsupport
We're proud to announce we'll be on the stage at @eshre_official 2026! â¨ď¸đ¤
#donorconception #eshre #pathstoparenthub #donorconceptionawareness #fertilityjourney
I got more emotional than I thought I would making this đĽš
Happy International Donor Conception Awareness Day peeps.
Hayley xx #donorconception #idcad2026 #idcad
âMammy, where does the donor live?â
If youâre raising a donor conceived child, youâll probably recognise this momentâŚ
âď¸ Youâve already been asked a tricky question
OR
âď¸ Youâve imagined it, and felt that little wave of panic đ°
I remember when my children were younger, I used to dread these conversations. The pressure to respond immediately, and to get it right felt overwhelming. And of course, these questions never seem to come at a âconvenientâ time!
Something that really shifted my perspective was advice from Dr Sharon Pettle during a webinar I listened back to recently on @paths_to_parenthub on raising donor conceived children.
She spoke about that âon the spotâ pressure we feel as parents, and gave a simple but powerful reframe:
Itâs ok to pause.
Itâs ok to come back to the conversation later.
What matters most is that the question does get answered.
Even if the honest answer is:
âIâm not sureâ or âI donât know that part.â
Those moments can still become meaningful conversations, about what we do know, what we donât, and how we can explore that together.
Since hearing this, Iâve used it so many times, and itâs made me feel so much more confident navigating these conversations with my children.
If this resonates with you, youâre definitely not alone đ¤
â
⨠Want more support like this?
Join us at the Donor Conception Virtual Summit hosted by Paths to Parenthub this weekend!
đ Sunday 26th April
â° 1â6pm (UK time)
đĽ Includes 14-day replay access
Iâll be speaking alongside my lovely friend Becky Kearns, sharing real life experiences, practical tips, and resources to help you navigate these conversations with confidence.
I hope to see you there!
Hayley x
It's almost time and we can't wait to welcome you! đ§Ą
If you haven't booked your ticket yet, head to our website and join us for an afternoon filled with panel discussions and Q&A with lived experiences of recipient parents, donor conceived individuals and donors, insightful keynotes from professionals, supportive breakout sessions and more. Supported by @avenues.life
Tickets available for members, non-members and professionals đđ
#pathstoparenthub #donorconception #donorconceptionivf #fertilityjourney #tryingtoconceive
We're heading back to the Familymakers Show! đЎ
Join us this weekend in London for the free Fertility event for LGBTQIA+ individuals and couples. Located at the De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms, we'll be there with the wonderful Freya (@thequeermama ) on our exhibitor stand to offer support and guidance for donor conception.
đ Saturday, 18th April 2026
â°ď¸ 10:30am until 6:00pm
Register for your free ticket now and we look forward to seeing you there! đłď¸âđ
@divamagazine@londonwomensclinic@london_spermbank@londoneggbank@kindivfofficial@lwceggfreezing@familymakers_show
#LGBTQIACommunity #DonorConception #DonorConceptionAwareness #FertilityTreatment #PathstoParenthub
From secrecy and stigma to openness, support and community. There was once so much shame around donor conception, but things are changing. Families are sharing their stories with pride, and we now know that honesty from an early age is best.
Donor conception has come a long way⌠and thereâs still more to do.
Want to learn more, hear real stories and feel supported? Head to the link in our bio to explore Paths to Parenthub and join us at the upcoming Donor Conception Virtual Summit â¨đ
#donorconceived #donorconception #fertilitysupport #ttccommunity #familybuilding