SIU Fertility & IVF to Celebrate Fifth Birthday
Annual Birthday Celebration Set for September 13
Lexi Kotner is only 5, but she’s already an avid ice skater, gymnast and dancer. Kody Kotner, like his big sister, is active, joining his first soccer league at age 3. But seven years ago, their mom Jeannie underwent six failed inseminations and two failed in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles and believed she might never become a parent.
“We were very frustrated and losing hope,” Jeannie said.
In 2009, the Southern Illinois University School of Medicine Fertility and IVF Center helped Jeannie’s “stars align,” as she puts it. She and her husband, Marcus, met Ricardo Loret de Mola, MD, director of the SIU Fertility & IVF Center and chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at SIU School of Medicine. Loret de Mola was confident that he and the SIU fertility team could help the Springfield couple. Less than a year later, Jeannie was pregnant with Lexi.
On September 13, the Kotners’ will attend a celebration with children and parents, who, like them, have been helped by the SIU Fertility & IVF Center.
The Fertility & IVF’s Fifth Annual Birthday Party is set for 3 - 6 p.m. on Sunday, September 13 at Erin’s Pavilion in Southwind Park, 4965 S. Second St. in Springfield. To commemorate the Center’s fifth birthday, a tree planting ceremony will take place at 4:30 p.m.
“This event is our way of celebrating our families,” said Loret de Mola. “It’s an extremely rewarding experience to see children like Lexi and Kody and know that our team played a role in helping their families.”
The Center has served more than 2,500 couples since it opened in 2009. More than 1,500 babies have been born to patients of the Center.
“Our kids are our world,” said Jeannie. “I feel like I owe everything to SIU’s Fertility Center because I don’t think we would be parents today if the stars had not aligned and we were not able to use their services.”
Patients, families and those interested in fertility services are invited to attend the birthday party. The event is free, but registration is appreciated. Those interested can contact the Center at 217-545-3101 for more information or to register.
About the SIU Fertility & IVF Center
The Center opened in 2009 to provide a comprehensive approach to finding solutions for couples struggling with fertility. According to RESOLVE, the National Infertility Association, one in eight U.S. couples of childbearing age is diagnosed with infertility. The multi-disciplinary practice provides evaluation and treatment options for female and male infertility. Among the treatment options are revolutionary, robotic-assisted surgical procedures, on-site surgical intervention for treatment of male infertility, ovulation induction and in vitro fertilization. Team members include faculty and staff from OB-GYN and urology, psychologists, geneticists and licensed dieticians.
