Not Weight Loss Related but still important to me

I’ve had a little side project going on in my life besides my weight loss. As I mentioned in my New Years entry Marco and I are dealing with infertility. I belong to a message board/support group for infertile women on MSN.

Another member of the board (Amy) wrote a letter to her local paper talking about her infertility and it inspired me to start a little movement of my own. Together with Amy, I have tried starting a little campaign to get the word of Infertility out there.

Below is the message I am posting on my Infertility board and I am asking anybody who wishes to, to partake. One in 8 couples in the US suffer with infertility so more than likely if you are reading this you know somebody who is dealing with it. If anything, you “know” me and can write a letter on my behalf.


Here is the post:

We’re trying to spread the word of infertility and get our issues publicly noticed. Amy Lastname and I (Sarah Aarssen) are trying to rally as many infertile couples and their friends, relatives and neighbors to help us in a letter writing campaign to spread the word about infertility.

On Sunday January 28th we are asking you to send a quick e mail to a few of the main media telling your story of infertility (media links provided below). We’ve chosen the 28th to signify the average woman’s cycle and are asking the media to not let another cycle go by with infertility going unnoticed (feel free to include this in your letter).

Not everybody is a letter writer or has the time to tell their whole story so I’ve made some quick, easy, fill in the blank, type form letters to make this easy (see below). Of course you are more than welcome to tell your story however you chose, I’ve created these in order to hopefully make it easier for more people to participate.

Please copy and paste this entire message into any other message board you see fit. Please post this notice on your blogs. Please feel free to e mail this out to all of your friends and family. The more letters we have sent, the greater chance we have at getting noticed!

If you are not able to participate on Sunday the 28th please don’t let this stop you from sending in a letter. Although we would like to have a big influx of letters all on one day to get the most attention every single letter will count no matter when it is sent.

If you cannot find the time to send to every single media listed please pick the few you do have time for.

Infertile couples have sat and suffered in silence long enough. Please take the time on Sunday to think about your story or the story of your loved one and help spread the word.

Please email me at sarahaarssen@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns.

Sincerely,
Sarah Aarssen (and Amy Lastname) on behalf of all couples suffering with infertility


FORM LETTER:


Dear Sirs,

I am writing in hopes that you will (insert your wish for your letter, do you want to spread the word about infertility, do you want to educate your family and friends on how to deal with you emotionally, do you want to get the attention of your congressmen, do you want to ease the pain of other infertile couples).

My (partner and I, husband and I, daughter, son, cousin, friend) is suffering with (male factor infertility, PCOS, unexplained infertility, endo.etc. or just plain old infertiltly) and have been for (insert amount of time). I’ve decided to take a stand and do what I can to raise awareness.

In a short few lines you can exand on what it is you’re hoping to accomplish by this letter for instance: After 2 years of suffering alone with on my husband to talk with I am ready to tell my story and really educate people on how to be sensitive to my situation. OR: After hearing” “relax and it will hapen’ for the millionth time I need to finally speak out. Or: I am so tired of having insensitive comments thrown at me in every direction and need to let people know it is NOT ok to say _______. OR: I think it’s incredible that insurance in the state of _______ will cover Viagra for an impotent man but not whatever medicine for an infertile couple. OR: There are so many people suffering through an array of emotions in dealing with infertility but there is nowhere to turn for help or support. Or: My husband and I are at our wits end and don’t know how to deal with this anymore, it’s tearing our marriage appart.

Nobody is saying anything to the millions of couples who are suffering. Nobody is helping ease our pain. I am reaching out to you in order to ask for your help.

Please help break the silence of infertility. Help us spread the word.

OPTIONAL: You can contact me at ________, I want to tell my story. OR I wish to remain annomous but would love to tell my story in confindence. OR I do not wish to be contacted but wanted to open your eyes to what is going on in the US.

Sincerely,
Your name
Trying to conceive for years, or months or years and cycles
Suffering with ________
Here you can list what you’ve gone through 2 failed IUI´s, 3 miscarriages, one sucessful IVF, adoption of baby boy,
Member of the MSN TTC+ month group (or support group) for how long (or member of whatever group or if you’re not a member of any message board you can leave it blank)


OR
Sincerely,
Your name
Cousin of an infertile couple (mother of an infertile son, friend of an infertile woman)


ANOTHER FORM LETTER EXAMPLE:



Dear Sirs,

My name is _________ and I am infertile (or my partner is infertile or WE are infertile or my daughter suffers with infertility or my son suffers with infertility or my best friend suffers with infertility).

I (we, they) have been trying to have a child for ___________.

I (we, they) suffer with ___________.

I am writing in hopes to help ease my (our, their) pain or in hopes to make it easier for the other infertility sufferers. Please help spread the word of infertility.

Sincerely,
Your name
Trying to conceive for years, or months or years and cycles
Suffering with ________
Here you can list what you’ve gone through: 2 failed IUI´s, 3 miscarriages, one sucessful IVF, adoption of baby boy,
Member of the MSN TTC+ month group for how long (or member of whatever group or avid reader of name infertility blog or if you’re not a member of any message board you can leave it blank)


OR
Sincerely,
Your name
Cousin of an infertile couple (mother of an infertile son, friend of an infertile woman)


LIST OF MEDIA TO CONTACT:

O Magazine
http://www2.oprah.com/omagazine/omag_email2.jhtml

Oprah Show
https://www.oprah.com/plugger/templates/BeOnTheShow.jhtml?action=respond&plugId=B2100004

The Oprah Winfrey Show110 N. Carpenter StreetChicago IL 60607

Oprah and Friend’s XM Radio-Ask Dr. Robin
http://www2.oprah.com/xm/email/xm_email_rsmith.jhtml

Oprah and Friends XM Radio – Ask Gail King
http://www2.oprah.com/xm/email/xm_email_gking.jhtml

Dr. Phil – Infertility Specific
http://www.drphil.com/plugger/respond/?plugID=11010

Dr. Keith Ablow – Personal Crisis show topic
http://drkeith.warnerbros.com/beontheshow/appointment.html

The View
Have Your Say TodayThe View320 West 66th StreetNew York, NY 10023


ABC News (you can pick the program on this site)
http://abc.go.com/site/contactus.html?cat=Good%20Morning%20America
Good Morning America157 Columbus Ave., 6th FloorNew York, NY 10023(Write your name, address, phone # on letter. On outside of envelope, write "story idea")

Today
today@nbc.com
NBC Nightly News
nightly@nbc.com

The Early Show on CBS
Email: earlyshow@cbs.comSnail mail:
The Early Showc/o CBS News555 West 57th StreetNew York, NY 10019


Reader’s Digest
http://www.rd.com/talktous.do?wtGroup=RDCOM_NAV&wtID=TALKTOUS_SITE&lid=30

Cosmo
http://magazines.ivillage.com/cosmopolitan/connect/know/spc/0,,284413_293012,00.html

Glamour
http://www.glamour.com/contact/youSaidIt

Ladies Home Journal
Letters to the Editor
Ladies' Home Journal
125 Park Avenue
NY, NY 10017

lhj@meredith.com

Discovery Health Network
http://extweb.discovery.com/viewerrelations

Tyra Banksc/o Studio Fan Mail122 S. Robertson Blvd. #15Los Angeles, CA 90035