All our childless stories are precious and multi-layered. Mine includes bad timing, poor decisions, gentle recovery, a decade trying to conceive, many losses and finally realizing the life I thought I was living wasn’t the one I was in. My life and dreams were out of sync. Read more..
Read moreAnne Xavier Altamore, Australia
I am childless not by choice after spending more than a decade on the IVF roller coaster. I always thought I had a full life with a rewarding career, dreams and goals, of which motherhood was just one small piece. But the overwhelming grief I felt with each failed cycle showed me that even a small dream lost can be a devastating experience. Read more..
Read moreJudy Graham, Australia
I’m childless by circumstances. Many factors led to my childlessness - precious years living and growing as a young woman, not finding a suitable partner at the right time, tending to relationship losses, endometriosis, infertility, and the finality of health saving surgery at 42. The family ‘I was meant to have’, the life ‘I was meant to live’ had not worked out. Read more..
Read moreJody Day (she/her) Ireland
Fourteen years ago, I started Gateway Women, and through it, I've healed my childless heart--and it’s been the honour of my life to help so many others do the same. Now in my early sixties, my life is full and busy as I mentor the rising generation of childless advocates as they step into their power, work on two new books and develop resources and community for those of us ageing without children. Read more..
Read moreProf. Cristina Archetti, Norway
Just when I thought my life was perfect, I was diagnosed with ‘unexplained infertility.’ I embarked on IVF without realizing how invasive and demeaning it would be, both physically and psychologically. When it failed, I was devastated: I had never been the little girl who wanted to be a mum as a grown up, yet I did not know any more who—or what—I was. Read more..
Read moreJessica Hepburn, United Kingdom
I am childless because after a diagnosis of ‘Unexplained Infertility’, I went through 11 rounds of unsuccessful IVF and wasn’t in the right place to explore an alternative route to parenthood after this. I will never say never to becoming a parent in some form but my experience of infertility and unsuccessful IVF has made me who I am today. Read more..
Read moreRobin Hadley, United Kingdom
Robin is a leading expert on the psychological and sociological impact of male childlessness across the life course. He is from Old Trafford, Manchester (UK) and comes from a large working-class family and left school with few qualifications. Read more..
Read moreYvonne John (she/her) United Kingdom
Whilst growing up in a Caribbean household there was the expectation that I’d get a good job, get married and have children in that order. I was ambivalent about becoming a mum so the sadness I felt at 43 when I heard the words ‘unexplained infertility’surprised me along with the overwhelming shame I felt at having 2 terminations in my 20’s. Read more..
Read moreMeriel Whale (she/her) United Kingdom
Hi, my name is Meriel, I am a counsellor, teacher and writer and am childless not by choice. It is no longer possible for me to become a parent and so now my focus is on widening and deepening my life so that it is rich of full connections and worthwhile work, and worthwhile time out of work. Read more..
Read moreHelen Gallagher, United Kingdom
I am childless by circumstance following years of unexplained infertility and sadly my marriage coming to an end at 40. I was heartbroken, I couldn’t see a way forward and I was lacking in any hope for the future. I was devoid of purpose. Move forward to now and I am literally living my best life. Read more..
Read moreAisha Balesaria (she/her) United Kingdom
Is a fierce endometriosis advocate who spent ten years trying to conceive. After 11 failed rounds of IVF and four miscarriages, she left the process without a baby. Read more..
Read moreBibi Lynch, United Kingdom
Bibi is a journalist, writer and broadcaster. She is also childless not by choice. (The reasons? ‘Life’ meant she didn’t meet a partner; ‘life’ also meant she couldn’t try to have a baby on her own. ‘Social infertility’ they call it. Hot.) Read more..
Read moreKaty Seppi (she/her) USA
Katy Seppi (she/her) is childless after infertility. After four years of unsuccessfully trying to become a mom, she decided to embrace a life without kids. While this decision was the most difficult she’s ever made, she has no regrets and has found new ways to cultivate meaning, love, and joy in her childfree life. Read more..
Read moreMaria Hill, USA
Maria Hill is childless not by choice. She came to Gateway Women, now Childless Collective, over ten years ago, and has enjoyed supporting other childless women and participating in Jody Day’s Fireside chats as part of her Gateway Elderhood Project. Read more..
Read moreSandy Langhart Michelet (she/her) USA
I feel honored to play a small part in World Childless Week. Childless women are everywhere…we’ve just been too afraid to raise our head, much less our voices. World Childless Week provides a medium for us to unite and bring about change… because We Are Worthy". Read more..
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