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Upcoming events
February
Feb
10
Single women - Sperm donation - Prospective parent
Chat
Member event
Online
Prospective parent
Single woman
This is a DCN chat for single women considering or in treatment to become solo mums. This chat is open for those using sperm donation or considering double donation and offers a space for discussion and peer support.
This chat will be facilitated by Anna. Anna is a solo mum in the Network who kindly volunteers to support others.
This is not a professionally led or educational event with set objectives, rather this is a space for sharing and meeting others at the same or a similar stage of the journey.
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
Feb
15
West London meetup
Heterosexual couple
In person
Local meetup
Member event
Parent
Prospective parent
Same sex female couple
Same sex male couple
Single man
Single woman
Come along to join the next meetup for members in West London on Saturday 15Th February, for a cosy afternoon near the fireplace at The Eagle pub, located near Ravenscourt Park.
Members in all types of family are warmly welcome as well thinkers & triers!
Local group coordinator, Chloe, solo mom of 2 year old Lily, will be there to welcome you!
Instructions
Feb
15
Bristol - local group meetup
Heterosexual couple
In person
Local meetup
Member event
Parent
Prospective parent
Same sex female couple
Same sex male couple
Single man
Single woman
Come along to join this well-established group for an in-person meetup at the Old Library community hub.
If you would like to come along, please contact Celine and Viv via the Bristol Whatsapp group, which you can join here: https://chat.whatsapp.com/GATurtM3oEfGuRv6jTvhkN
Feb
18
Solo mums with children conceived through double or embryo donation
Chat
Member event
Online
Parent
Single woman
This is a DCN chat for solo mums through double or embryo donation- with children of all ages.
Join this chat if you are pregnant/have children through double or embryo donation.
If you are a thinker/tryer there is a DCN chat available for that stage.
DCN Chat is a peer support online get-together. This chat will be facilitated by Lucia, solo mum to twins through embryo donation. All our Chat facilitators are members themselves, and hosting the chat as individuals. This is not a professionally led or educational event.
Feb
19
Heterosexual couples - Sperm donation - prospective 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
Feb
19
Anonymous donation - for those who don't have ID release or known donors
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 aimed at discussing anonymous donation and how that is experienced for us as donation recipients. The chat will be facilitated by Valentina, DCN member, and mum through egg donation to two children through anonymous donation. This DCN Chat is to offer a space to talk about experiences, This is not an educational event and rather, is meant as a peer-support opportunity.
Feb
23
East London - local group meetup
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 invited to the Winter meetup for the general group in East London . Members at any stage welcome – thinkers, tryers and parents with kids.
We will be meeting at Jo’s house Bring your own picnic lunch and something to share with everyone else, savoury as well as sweet welcome (buffet style). Teas, coffees & biscuits provided!
Look forward to seeing you in person,
Jo
Feb
26
The Big Question - How do I feel like the 'real' parent?
Heterosexual couple
Member event
Online
Same sex female couple
Same sex male couple
Single man
Single woman
For our second ‘Big Question’ webinar, we wanted to explore a topic that comes up a lot for our members. The word ‘real’ can feel particularly emotive in the donor conception community where the loss of a genetic connection to a child, usually an expectation for parenthood, can make people question their role and even their legitimacy. Parents worry that it will be thrown back at them by their children, picturing a scene where a child says “You’re not my real mum/dad” and struggling to know how to respond.
All this made us decide to pose ‘How can I feel like the real parent?’ as the next question in our webinar series.
We’ve invited Jana Rupnow to help us try to answer the question, and to reflect on how parents and prospective parents can navigate the complex thoughts and emotions around this topic.
Jana is an international author, speaker and counsellor, based in the US. She has a wealth of knowledge about donor conception, built over the years by hearing from both parents and donor conceived people themselves. In 2018 she published her best-selling book ‘Three Makes Baby’ (available in the DCN bookshop as we consider it such a valuable resource).
Since 2010, Jana has helped thousands of people facing the psychological and social challenges of infertility as well as those preparing for third-party family building and adoption. She knows what it’s like to be in a non-biological family herself, as both an adoptee and adoptive mum. She has personal experience of infertility as she and her husband had male-factor secondary infertility. This led to them adopting their daughter from China which means she also has experience of being a culturally diverse family. All of this puts her in a great position to consider the topic with us.
The conversation will explore themes such as:
• Why does that word ‘real’ hold such power?
• What role does biology play in feeling like a parent?
• How do we define ‘mum’ or ‘dad’?
• How can couples feel equally ‘real’ as parents when their genetic connection to the child may be different
You can also join in the conversation. 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.
Finally, as if all that wasn’t enough, one lucky attendee will be selected to receive a free signed copy of Jana’s book.
[Link to Jana Rupnow’s website](https://www.janarupnow.com)
[Jana’s bio](https://www.janarupnowtherapy.com/category-s/1886.htm)
Feb
26
Single women - Double or embryo donation - Prospective parent
Chat
Member event
Online
Prospective parent
Single woman
This is a DCN chat for single women considering or in treatment to become solo mums, considering or using double or embryo donation. This chat offers a space for discussion and peer support.
This chat will be facilitated by Kerry, solo mum through double donation.
All our facilitators are solo mums in the Network. This is not a professionally led or educational event with set objectives, rather this is a space for sharing and meeting others at the same or a similar stage of the journey.
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
Feb
26
Couples (including separated couples) with children ages 4-7
Chat
Heterosexual couple
Member event
Online
Parent
Same sex female couple
Same sex male couple
You are invited to join us for a conversation for members who are parents to children aged 4-7 years old.
DCN Chat is a peer support online get-together. This DCN Chat will be hosted by Mary-Blair, mum through egg donation to two children. 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 don’t hesitate to contact the DC Network office on enquiries@dcnetwork.org