Events

Sep

17

Solo parents to children aged 5 and under

Chat

Member event

Online

Parent

Single man

Single woman

This is a DCN chat for solo mums and dads who have children ages 5 and under. DCN Chat is a peer support online get-together. This DCN Chat will be hosted by Adrienne, solo mum to a child born 2017. All our DCN Chat facilitators are members themselves, and hosting the chat as individuals. This is not a professionally led or educational event. Join us for a supportive space to talk to others in similar situations. If you find that you need further more professional support, please don’t hesitate to contact the DC Network office on enquiries@dcnetwork.org

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Sep

17

Ethnicity in donor conception

Chat

Heterosexual couple

Member event

Online

Parent

Prospective parent

Same sex female couple

Same sex male couple

Single man

Single woman

This DCN chat is an opportunity to come together to talk about the issue of ethnicity in donor conception. This may be relevant if you are undertaking treatment with a donor of a different ethnicity, where ethnicity shows up in your donor decision-making process or where your child’s external appearance differs significantly to you (or you and your partner). This DCN Chat is open to all, but please note that the intention of this discussion is to hold a space for people who are experiencing challenges and successes within this realm and to offer the opportunity to share these in a peer-support forum. There is no right or wrong and we would ask that anyone who joins does so with the intention of being extremely respectful with this somewhat sensitive issue. DCN Chat is a peer support online get-together. This DCN Chat will be hosted by Mariam and/or Ruihua. All our DCN Chat facilitators are members themselves, and hosting the chat as individuals, there to contribute from their personal perspective and to ensure the group runs to its best possible potential. This is not a professionally led or educational event. Join us for a supportive space to talk to others in similar situations. If you find that you need further more professional support, please don’t hesitate to contact the DC Network office on dcngroups@dcnetwork.org

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Sep

20

**New event**: West Midlands meetup for all

Heterosexual couple

In person

Local meetup

Member event

Parent

Prospective parent

Same sex female couple

Same sex male couple

Single man

Single woman

You are warmly invited to the West Midlands General Group Meet up at Parkridge visitor centre in Brueton Park: Meet opposite Parkridge visitor centre in Brueton Park, Solihull at 1pm If the weather is ok, meet for a picnic lunch outside (big field opposite visitor centre) & go for a walk around 2pm. Alternatively, there’s a cafe in the visitor centre. Once meeting, there is an option to either walk around nature reserve & adventure playground, and/or walk through to Malvern park playground where there is usually a coffee van & ice cream van. Toilets & baby change are at the visitor centre. If Brueton Park car park is busy, there are other car parks around the parks & in town centre which are 15-20mins walk. There is also a carpark in Solihull 6th form college and a walk round via the path (if you walk via fields & marsh it can be boggy!)

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Sep

21

South coast / Solent Solos- Solo parents group

In person

Local meetup

Member event

Parent

Single man

Single woman

This group is for solo parents in the South coast area of the UK (including Dorset, Hampshire, West Sussex). To sign up and to find out more information please contact Victoria, group coordinator, by emailing dcn.southcoast@gmail.com [Do not make the booking here]

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Sep

22

Virtual Meetup for members in North America

Chat

Heterosexual couple

Member event

Online

Parent

Prospective parent

Same sex female couple

Same sex male couple

Single man

Single woman

Please join us to meet other DCN members living in the United States and Canada on Sunday, Sept 21 Sunday at 8pm EST This is an informal opportunity to get to know others in North America, chat about all things donor conception, and form some new connections. DCN volunteer, Joumana, will be facilitating the Chat.

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Sep

24

The Big Question: How is embryo donation different?

Heterosexual couple

Member event

Online

Same sex female couple

Same sex male couple

Single man

Single woman

Across the world there are thousands of embryos being stored that were created by individuals having fertility treatment. Parents who have completed their families may not know what to do with any remaining embryos and one option is to donate them. On the other side of the story, we know there are lots of people seeking fertility treatment who may be interested in embryo donation. Donating to these families could be a very positive solution for both parties, but there are some additional implications. For our third ‘Big Question’ webinar, we are exploring how embryo donation is a little different to just sperm or egg donation and even different to double donation or embryos created by a clinic from two separate donors. Firstly, there may be full genetic siblings growing up in separate families. Additionally, one of those families could be parents raising their full genetic children. Those close and overlapping connections raise some interesting questions about how to approach this type of donation. To help us discuss the topic we’ve invited Professor Vasanti Jadva from City St George’s (University of London) and David O’Rourke from Kin Donor Bank (UK). Professor Jadva is a professor of family psychology with extensive experience in studying donor conception families (previously at the Cambridge Centre for Family research and UCL) David is a Clinical Embryologist and the co-founder of Kin Donor Bank, a platform in the UK dedicated to ethical, human-centred embryo donation. The conversation will explore themes such as: • How is embryo donation different • Why might someone donate their embryos • What models currently exist • What important considerations might prospective parents want to take into account? • What we know about how children feel You can join in the conversation too. We’ll be open to written comments and questions from members, either when you register or live during the event. We’ll be recording the conversation and will put the video in the members’ area on the website shortly after the event. Anyone registered for the webinar will get notified when the recording is available.

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Sep

24

Heterosexual couples - Sperm donation - prospective and new parents

Chat

Heterosexual couple

Member event

Online

Parent

Prospective parent

Come and join us for a private space to discuss sperm donation in heterosexual couples with others going down a similar path. DCN Chat is a peer support online get-together. This DCN Chat will be hosted by Danny, dad to two children, concieved through sperm donation. All our DCN Chat facilitators are members themselves, volunteers, and hosting the chat as individuals. This is not a professionally led or educational event. Join us for a supportive space to talk to others in similar situations. If you find that you need further support, please dont hesitate to contact the DC Network office on enquiries@dcnetwork.org

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Sep

25

Heterosexual couples -Chat for those undergoing treatment with egg donation

Chat

Heterosexual couple

Member event

Online

Prospective parent

A space for members who are in the process of undertaking treatment with egg donation, to come together to talk about shared issues. DCN Chat is a peer support online get-together. This DCN Chat will be hosted by Anna. All our DCN Chat facilitators are members themselves, and hosting the chat as individuals. This is not a professionally led or educational event. Join us for a supportive space to talk to others in similar situations. If you find that you need further support, please dont hesitate to contact the DC Network office on enquiries@dcnetwork.org

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Sep

25

Heterosexual couples -Chat for those considering egg donation - Prospective parent

Chat

Heterosexual couple

Member event

Online

Prospective parent

A space for members considering egg donation, to come together to talk about shared issues. DCN Chat is a peer support online get-together. This DCN Chat will be hosted by Alex. *There is a separate group running for those undertaking treatment already – this group is predominently for thinking through this route to parenthood. All our DCN Chat facilitators are members themselves, and hosting the chat as individuals. This is not a professionally led or educational event. Join us for a supportive space to talk to others in similar situations. If you find that you need further support, please dont hesitate to contact the DC Network office on enquiries@dcnetwork.org

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Oct

4

Workshop: Telling & Talking (mum-and-dad families)

Heterosexual couple

Members and non-members

Online

Parent

TT

Workshop

This workshop is for parents of donor-conceived children aged 0-7 years. Not sure how to begin a conversation with your child about their donor conception story? Maybe you’re unsure about whether telling is the right thing to do? Or perhaps you’re concerned about who to tell and not tell in your life? Our Telling & Talking workshop is designed specifically with your needs and questions in mind. It provides a safe and confidential space for you to explore the benefits of telling and how to get started. This workshop is equally appropriate whether you had treatment in the UK or abroad, with a known, identifiable or anonymous donor or if your treatment involved surrogacy. You may be wondering how to start talking to your child about their donor-conceived origins, or you may have already begun this process and would like to explore what may come up in the future.

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