We often hear from men and women who turn to credit cards, GoFundMe pages, or family members to help them with the cost of their fertility treatment, but Jess Templeton had other ideas…..
After a cancer diagnosis put her future family in question, Jess (JessWithDresses) began renting out her clothes on By Rotation a year ago in a bid to make as much money as possible.
“In March 2020, at the age of 32, I received a stage III cervical cancer diagnosis, which coincided with the declaration of the Covid pandemic. It was a difficult time to face such a double blow, but I remained determined to overcome the challenges.
“After being diagnosed with cervical cancer, I found myself facing infertility. However, thanks to the income I generated from renting out my wardrobe, I am now able to afford in vitro fertilization (IVF) and have hope for starting a family.”
Jess’s diagnosis came after a delayed routine smear test, which was postponed due to a previous miscarriage in 2019. The delay continued as other tests were conducted, with doctors initially believing her symptoms were a result of hormone imbalance caused by the miscarriage. It was only when Jess consulted a private hormone specialist that the true cause of her health issues was discovered. The diagnosis came the day after her smear test, during a colposcopy where a tumor was identified.
Jess underwent an intense treatment regimen, including chemoradiotherapy and brachytherapy. The main treatment involved radiotherapy five days a week for five consecutive weeks, with chemotherapy administered to enhance its effectiveness. Brachytherapy, which involved a higher dose of internally delivered radiation, required general anesthesia for insertion. This aspect of her treatment proved to be the most physically traumatic, leaving Jess searching for solutions to cope with the resulting post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The impact of cervical cancer treatment on Jess’s fertility was another devastating consequence she had to face.
Due to the Covid lockdown, Jess was unable to freeze her eggs before commencing cancer treatment, rendering her infertile. However, her sister, who lives in New York and with whom she is incredibly close, offered to freeze her eggs for Jess to use in their journey to create a family of their own.
Although the cost of turning these eggs into embryos in the US is substantial, Jess covered the costs with her wardrobe initiative:
“I started JessWithDresses a year ago and I’m delighted that the money I’ve made from renting my wardrobe through By Rotation has already covered all the associated costs for us to turn our donated eggs into embryos and has kicked off our journey to parenthood.”
Balancing the emotional toll of her diagnosis and treatment has been challenging for Jess. Navigating cancer and Covid simultaneously was a difficult experience, and the lasting effects on her health, including medically induced menopause, continue to present mental and physical challenges. However, talking about her journey helps her feel less overwhelmed by the losses and strengthens her determination to create the life she envisions.
Take a look at Jess’s wardrobe on By Rotation, and keep up with her rental journey on Instagram.
Have you discovered a new and inavative way to fund your fertility treatment? We would love to hear from you. Drop us a line at mystory@ivfbabble.com.
