Sarah’s Laughter is hosting an infertility awareness fun run and IVF giveaway at the Pennington Biomedical Research Center on November 12 at 9 a.m.
Anyone interested in participating in the fun run, named Baby Steps, can sign up on the website at https://www.babystepsfunrun.com/. People can also build teams of family and friends on the webpage to help support loved ones who otherwise fight the battle of infertility in private.
Participants in Baby Steps will have the chance to win a free IVF cycle donated by Dr. Dunaway and the Fertility Institute of New Orleans.
Creator of Sarah’s Laughter and the event’s organizer, Beth Forbus said, “We are able to giveaway an IVF cycle for a couple who is struggling with infertility. That IVF cycle costs about $15,500, so that’s a significant gift.”
A grant of $5000 will also be donated from Sarah’s Laughter by women who have been a part of the organization and have had their “miracle baby.”
“One couple won our IVF’s in a giveaway and they had a baby from it but they had extra embryos leftover from the cycle so they’ve actually had two babies from our IVF giveaway at Baby Steps. So it definitely changes family trees,” Forbes stated.
The fun run begins with a march celebrating all of the miracle babies which have been born.
People can also celebrate these babies and honor babies who have passed from miscarriage or stillbirth by purchasing signs which will line the raceway.
Sarah’s Laughter began hosting these runs in 2014 to help those battling an issue that is as common as breast cancer, but this will be the first race since the pandemic.
Forbes said, “We do this to raise awareness to the prevalence of infertility as well as the quality medical and emotional support that is available for the people in our area struggling with infertility or loss.”
Apart from hosting the annual Baby Steps fun run, Sarah’s Laughter consists of support groups, podcasts, and networks of women who are fighting infertility nationwide.
“A lot of people don’t even know there are infertility support groups right here in Baton Rouge where you can find that strength and that support when this journey gets too hard. And it does get too hard,” Forbus said.
At Baby Steps, couples will be able to connect with other couples that are struggling with infertility as well or who can share what they went through in order to have their baby.
Participants will also be able to sign up for Sarah’s Laughter’s support groups, podcasts, and receive pamphlets on what medical care is available in the area at the event.
Forbes said, “Couples going through this, friends will try to support them and say things like ‘its just bad timing’ or ‘you need to relax,’ but none of those things are true. This is a real diagnosable medical illness. And there are treatment plans that can help, but if people don’t know, they don’t know.”
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