Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page. I have a rather long story so, I'll try to keep it as brief as possible. To find out more about my journey, check out my blog at www.9monthsandwaiting.com or, I'm on Instagram too - @kemi_kems

At the age of 19 or so,  I was diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and told that there was no cure, no medication and there may be a possibility that I would have trouble conceiving in the future... I wish I knew then what I know now because, although there is no "cure", there certainly are various ways to manage PCOS.

I married my primary School sweetheart in 2011 and after two years of trying for a baby, we were referred by our GP for fertility assistance. Shortly after our first appointment to discuss the options available, we found out that I was already pregnant. It unfortunately ended with a miscarriage and my husband and I found ourselves back at square one.

A year later, after trials of various medications to assist with regulating my cycle, being told that were were young and that we had no need to worry as I had conceived "naturally" we were referred once again for fertility assistance. Whilst we encountered some hurdles with funding, we were fortunate to have met a friendly receptionist at our GP surgery who assisted with the application process. 

After three gruelling rounds of IVF, my husband and I welcomed our baby boy 7 weeks early in November 2016.

Whilst I have been through some of the toughest times of my life, I am grateful for the blessing of my child but I am also still conscious of the stigma, silence and suffering of those facing fertility challenges. It took me writing a blog (www.9monthsandwaiting.com) to fully embrace my journey and not feel that sense of overwhelming shame. 

I discovered Fertility Network UK just before giving birth and I am so inspired by the work they do. The journey to parenthood can be lonely and challenging and I would love to help raise awareness and funds to keep this charity going so that people can continue receiving the best support.

So, for the month of October, I am giving up tea! For those who know me, they know that I'm borderline addicted to tea and can drink up to 10 cups per day. It's going to be hard but, well worth it! So please dig deep and help me exceed my goal.

I think I've gone on for far too long but, if you have any questions, do contact me!

Thank you
xx