Non-identifying records of donor conceived and donors prior 1988 when anonymity of the donor was paramount.
Compiled by Roger Clarke, Curator
Families are created in many ways; being open with children can make them feel more comfortable about the way they were conceived and benefit them in their future. The featured children have known from a young age and are very thankful to their donors for helping shape their special families.
The journey to parenthood is different for everyone. Deciding to use a donor to help the journey to parenthood can come as a challenging decision both now and for the future. Donor conception has enabled thousands of families to form; almost 6,500 children in Victoria have been conceived this way in the past 27 years. Families created through donor conception have shared their stories.
The journey to conception is challenging for some and the act of giving by donors to help the recipients become parents is a true gift. The decision to help someone have a child is an emotional and lifelong one. Some recipient parents and donors share their insights of joy and hardship through their donor conception journey.
Donor linking or having contact with someone you are connected to via donor conception treatment has been a very positive experience where meaningful relationships have formed. Whilst exciting , it can also be emotionally challenging for all the people involved.
People who have been conceived using a donor can find out at different stages of life. This discovery can be a very challenging concept to absorb, and donor-conceived people can feel emotional unrest, disconnection to their family, and may want to seek answers about elements of their genetic identity. Individual experiences of processing this information differ greatly.
This ground-breaking exhibition explores the human story of donor conception and is dedicated to the memory of Narelle Grech, a donor-conceived woman, who fought courageously for the right to learn the truth of her genetic heritage. The original exhibition was exhibited in the Melbourne City Library, June 2015.
