Clinic: Minneapolis
Doctor: Fabiola Balmir
Treatments:  Oncofertility

My oncofertility journey was not something I planned for, but then again I don’t know if any oncofertility journey is planned for. This past fall, I received the news that my cancer has spread, and the recommended treatment is radiation. Given I’ve had radiation before, my doctor warned me about the effects another round of radiation would have on my fertility, and strongly encouraged I look into fertility preservation if I wanted to have children in the future. The news of the cancer spreading was one thing, but I was then faced with making a huge life decision in a very condensed timeframe. I quickly realized I want the option of having children in the future, but I had no idea where to turn or what my next steps were. Cue the googling: egg freezing steps, egg freezing near me, etc.

I approached this journey similar to my cancer journey, and that was as simple as putting one foot in front of the other. In a weird way, my fertility preservation journey was somehow a nice distraction from thinking about my cancer spreading. I could focus on getting my fertility right and eggs in the freezer before I had to worry about the reality of radiation.

Luckily, my panic googling led me to Kindbody. I called around to multiple clinics in my area, but something was different about Kindbody. There was a calmness to it, or rather it created a calmness within me. I was able to get in with the doctor within a few weeks, and as soon as I mentioned I was a cancer patient about to undergo treatment, she made me feel like the top priority and that she would do anything to help me. I went into the clinic the following week for the first diagnostics tests and by the following week we were starting medication. I had a dedicated care team that answered any question I had, hopped on the phone with me when I needed help administering the medication, and truly went to bat for me to get me approved for the Heartbeat Program that allowed me to even afford this whole process.

The entire journey with Kindbody, from the lab techs, the ultrasound techs, my nurses, and of course my doctor, I was met with compassion and professionalism. I know for a fact if I went anywhere else to freeze my eggs, not only would I have had to pay more financially, but mentally as well. I felt so taken care of by my team that I could actually enjoy the process, especially since it all happened so fast.



Kindbody
Kindbody
Kindbody is a new generation of women's health and fertility care. Providing you with the information you need to take control of your health and make the decisions that are right for you. We’re a community of healthcare providers, fertility specialists, and women who get it. We’re on a mission to democratize and de-stigmatize women’s health and fertility care, making it accessible, intuitive, and empowering.