“At 38 I was depressed, we had ten years of trying and we were smashed” World Childless Week Champion Michael Hughes on the male side of infertility. The team here are honoured that Michael did this today in a first for male infertility, a day dedicated to men who have never experienced fatherhood hosted by those who share the same journey. We’re ridiculously proud of you.

Throughout the weeks to come and starting from today, we've compiled the links to sites who are also sharing content that the team and Champions think you'll love to read because the creator writes to our themes.

James is 57 and always wanted to be a father; he is now childless but not by choice. The consequences and emotions that creates are rarely discussed by men, 'they just tend to get on with it.'  In this honest and poignant talking head, James reveals some of his story".

A husband's grief is absolutely no less than their wife's when told their dreams of making a family (children) will not come true. It is devastating and traumatic to a man.

An unknown child laid to rest. 

Nameless. 

Faceless. 

I am eighty years young. I am now of the age when my friends are talking about their grandchildren and sharing photos with me down the pub or at church.

My religion says that I am meant to be a father. The Qur’an compares it to being a sun and I was brought up to believe that my dad was the centre of my world and he is.

I have just finished an MA in Independent Film Making at the University of Bradford in the UK. The final assessment was to be a film about any subject in a style of my choosing. As my wife and I are childless, I chose to make a film about childlessness to raise the profile of this invisible, but significant minority.

I have always said why I can't have children. My sperm are directionless and my count is low so the only way I would be a dad is through ICSI. I know this because I work in a hospital where IVF was offered.

That time has come, you should have been here
From start to finish, we would have been there

My wife found me. I was slightly embued of the spirit of 6% 'brewed for the wedding' beer and I was thus terrible at realising her distress at having to sit with women who were mums, grandmothers or yet to be mums with not one infertile person amongst them. Except for her. And nobody listened.

To Strawb, Pain was only meant to be temporary; however from the moment you left I have been heartbroken ever since. Not one day has passed that I haven’t thought about you. You would have been so perfect I can guarantee that. You would have grown up in a warm loving family that would have always been there for you, no matter what.

England Expects was Produced in 2010 as a consequence of the 2 unsuccessful IVF journeys my wife and I went through. I wrote the story because I felt I needed to do ‘something?’

For a long time now it has been really hard for me to admit I will NEVER be a father. Just writing this, cascades painful thoughts and emotions through my mind and body. Yes, it’s true, men can suffer too.

World Childless Week Champions, Dr Robin Hadley and Michael Hughes from Married and Childless recorded a frank 1 hour conversation about male childlessness on 25th August. The conversation took place on Zoom in front of a live audience. It was strictly a men-only space.