Living with childlessness is complex but does not have to complicated. Looking back in time, Dr Robin Hadley and Anne Altamore have realised that while this was perhaps not the life we originally planned, there is much to be said about the richness of life experiences that can be found in travelling this path of childlessness. Together we explore 10 things we have learnt and would like people newly on the path of childlessness to know. A sort of looking in the rear view mirror fireside chat if you like.
DATE: Wednesday 16th September
TIME: 9.00am BST - Find your timezone HERE
REGISTER FOR THIS WEBINAR HERE
Please note: Whilst the panellists will be recorded, your camera and audio will be turned off. If you are unable to attend the webinar live, you DO NOT need to register to watch the replay. Just subscribe to the World Childless Week YouTube channel and you’ll be notified when new recordings are added.
PANELLISTS
Anne Altamore - Australia
World Childless Week Ambassador
Anne Altamore’s journey to parenthood ended about 2 decades ago after a long unsuccessful IVF journey. Over the years, Anne has experienced many highs
(childless perks) and lows (grief and longing) of living with childlessness. Now in her 60s, Anne has found that among the past triggers there always were many glimmers.
One of Anne’s many passions is learning about love languages. She has spent many years working on how her language of love for the children who never arrived can be given to those who need it.
One of her favourite sayings is while our hearts will always have a part missing, there are ways to build around that gaping hole. If we allow ourselves to do the work – eventually love replaces longing.
Anne is a counsellor specialising in working with people dealing with infertility, baby loss, and childlessness.
Robin Hadley - UK
Dr Robin Hadley is a world leading researcher on the largely silent topic of male childlessness. Robin’s training as a counsellor and his own experience of desperately wanting to be a dad led him to research the desire for fatherhood in childless men as part of
his MA in Counselling (The University of Manchester). He then self-funded MSc in Research Methods (UoMr) exploring the levels of desire for parenthood (‘broodiness’) in females and males, parents and non-parents.
He’s well known for speaking publicly about this issue from both a professional and deeply personal perspective. His research has been widely published in international and national media.
He supports several infertility and involuntary childless support groups and is a founder member of the campaign group Ageing Without Children.
