adoption after cancer?

Emilyfimily
Emilyfimily Member Posts: 141
edited March 2014 in Young Cancer Survivors #1
Hi. Anybody out there have experience with adopting post-cancer? I'm still doing chemo, but am getting close to finishing and the outlook is great. We can't have kids, so are wanting to adopt. We were going to start on this over a year ago, but got derailed by my diagnosis and treatment. My husband wants to go ahead and get started with everything now, but I'm thinking we'll "look better" as potential parents after I'm in remission, have some hair, don't look quite so much like a cancer patient, etc... Anybody been through this or going through it or know anything about it? I don't want to wait forever, but don't want our application to get thrown in the trash after they come to do a homestudy and are greeted at the door by a scrawny sickish bald woman.

Comments

  • mmurcia2000
    mmurcia2000 Member Posts: 27
    #2
    in the same boat
    I am 30 and just underwent a hysterectomy for uterine cancer. I too and interested in adopting. I am fortunately cancer free. Lets cheer each other up along the way to parenthood...
  • jandrmom
    jandrmom Member Posts: 2
    #3
    adoption
    Hi.
    I was diagnosed with leukemia in 1987 when i was 17 years old. I was told I couldn't have kids at the time of my bone marrow transplant so I always figured I'd adopt because I didn't want to deal with more doctors.

    I married my husband in 1996, and we adopted our son in 1999 and our daughter in 2000, both from South Korea. Obviously, it was many years since my diagnosis, so it wasn't really a factor for me.

    I learned that there are soooo many waiting children out there. If one adoption agency closes the door on you because of your diagnosis, keep looking for another agency that will be willing to work with you. It may not be an easy road (I'm sure you've heard that before), but it's worth it!

    Good luck.
    Jackie - you can email me if you want...michaudj@snet.net
  • kitandkat
    kitandkat Member Posts: 11
    #4
    FertileHope
    I recommend checking out fertilehope.org. It has a database you can search for recommended adoption agencies, as well as other information about fertility issues for cancer survivors, including financial aid options.
  • latlansky
    latlansky Member Posts: 1
    #5
    Successful post-cancer adoption
    We started our adoption process a year after my initial diagnosis (breast cancer, age 32, in 2004). We adopted our daughter from China Nov. 2006. It was tough, we had to get notes, but because there was no family history and I responded really well to treatment and had a double mastectomy, I think that somehow played in my favor. It certainly will depend on the agency you use, and how you go about adopting (internationally, locally, privately), but it is definately worth looking in to. :D

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