Stephanie is a successful lawyer/lobbyist living in Chicago and a patient of Fertility Centers of Illinois. When Stephanie and her husband, Ryan, decided to grow their family, they never expected that they could be the 1 in 8 that struggle with infertility. Her experience with infertility and treatment inspired her to be outspoken about navigating infertility and to lobby for IVF protection in Illinois. In honor of National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), Stephanie joined the Time to Talk Fertility Podcast to share her story and how she has advocated for access to family-building benefits and helped pass two laws in Illinois.
The Time to Talk Fertility Podcast: Stephanie’s IVF Story and Lobbying for Fertility for Illinois episode discusses questions such as:
- Can you share a little bit about yourself and what led you to Fertility Centers of Illinois?
- How did you feel when you received your diagnosis?
- What was your treatment experience like? The highs? The lows?
- What did your support system look like as you went through treatment? How did you feel?
- What gave you hope throughout the process?
- Are there words of wisdom you would like to share for anyone who is going through treatment?
- How did your experience inspire you to lobby on behalf of fertility coverage and reproductive rights?
- Can you share more about the bills you have lobbied for and what the outcomes were?
- When people say, “Illinois is a mandated state” can you explain what that means?
- Does the state of Illinois have the authority to regulate employers in the state of Illinois?
- How are the laws in Illinois different than other states?
- Are there bills or other reforms you are currently advocating for that are related to fertility?
- What can others who feel passionately about reproductive health and fertility care do to advocate for change?
The Time to Talk Fertility podcast releases new episodes monthly and is available on Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Stitcher, Tune In, Google Play and Spotify.
