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Family Reflections #IVF4BC #bcpoli

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Powered by Mom - Family Reflections

As some of you may know I wrote an article in February about the first ever Family Day in our province British Columbia. 

While our Family Day didn’t go as planned due to our daughter being ill, it doesn’t mean we didn’t appreciate the day itself. In fact, I think whenever possible every day should be a Family Day, but it’s nice to have an official one that is a statutory holiday here in our province, as well as in a few other provinces in Canada.

Thinking about "Family Day" did get me thinking about my own mom and dad both of whom sadly were taken from us when they were still quite young, my mom at 54 and my dad when he was only 67. However it got me thinking about the good times and how my mom was a role model of strong woman who left a country devasted by war with a young child (yes, me) and came to a country whose language she did not yet know very well. Yet she adapted, became a part of her husband's family, made friends and became part of a community here.

Below is a picture of myself at about three years of age with my mom when we first came to Vancouver, BC

Michelle and Mom 3

She taught me to stand up for myself, believe in myself, get educated and NOT to be afraid to voice your opinion and stand by your ethics. Admirable in my opinion for a woman who was only in her teens when the Vietnam War started, and was only 22 when my dad brought us to his home, Vancouver, BC. There she had to learn English and raise a child in a foreign country.

If you didn’t get a chance to read my Family Day article that touches on the challenges of funding for IVF here in BC and the benefits of supporting IVF you can read it HERE.

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Here are a couple of quick statistics that we touched on before that resulted from a report released earlier this year about multiple birth rates, IVF funding & more.

  • Multiple births are 17 times more likely to be pre-term birthsas a result the ensuing expense is high along with higher rates of physical and learning disabilities. The lifetime health care costs associated with multiples are extremely high.
  • BC has one of the highest multiple birth rates of all the provinces in Canada - approximately 28%. In Quebec, the multiple-birth rate has declined to between 5-8% with the introduction of public funding for IVF treatments. That program has been in place for over two years. In BC right now, it would appear we are headed for a change in government. What better time to show the rest of Canada how to model healthy families for the western provinces? The timing is perfect for BC to start funding IVF. Public support is also clearly there for this issue. 73 % of all BC residents believe the province should fund IVF.

If the only thing stopping someone who desperately wants to be a parent is money, then I think that is a shame. If the only thing keeping them from parenting a child is the concern over how to pay for in vitro fertilization, that is terribly sad. Everyone should be able to experience the gift of parenthood and lack of funding is not what should stop them. I whole heartedly support #IVF4BC and would love to see some people’s dreams become reality and give them the opportunity to be role models to their own children, it truly is the most humbling, rewarding and unequaled gift, in my opinion, to be a parent.

What can you do to support #ivf4bc 

  1. Tweet this post and make sure to use hashtags ##ivf4bc #bcpoli or copy & paste the title of the post which has both.
  2. Share this post on FB and Google Plus by using the share buttons at the bottom of the post
  3. Write to our government and let them know you support IVF funding

Stop by and check out the IVF website HERE (http://www.ivf4bc.ca/) and/or the Facebook page HERE (https://m.facebook.com/ivf4bc)

I know I treasure the moments I have with my family especially my daughter and I would hope that everyone who wants it could be given that gift as well.

What moments growing up do you treasure?

Disclaimer

I was compensated for this post however, all opinions are always 100% my own and I fully support IVF funding in BC

By on April 13th, 2013

About Powered by Mom

I’m Michelle aka Powered by Mom. I’m married with one daughter, my hubby was my high school sweetheart, our two dogs Nyx and Cleo and our cat Oliver. As you can see we’re a family of animal lovers. We love to travel when we can, try different food and activities all over the world and enjoy being together. My passions are writing, travelling, creating new recipes, encouraging people to adopt not shop and just to enjoy life while we can.

More posts by this author.

72 thoughts on “Family Reflections #IVF4BC #bcpoli”

  1. What a beautiful picture, I think publicly funded IVF would be a great thing. I will tweet the post to get the word out. Have a wonderful day!

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  2. What a lovely picture of you and your mom! My mom arrived in Canada by herself back in the 70s to make a new life. She taught me a lot of the same things you mentioned your mom taught you. What a wonderful role model!

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  3. It sounds like your mother was one strong independent woman! Had to be so scary to move to a different country esp not knowing the language very well at all and with a child non the less!

    It is a shame that people have to have $$ to have a child if they are having a problem with conceiving or even if they can't have a child of their own. Fertility help and adoption are both VERY expensive and it's a shame that only the people that can afford it are the only ones that can experience the joy of having/raising a child. I thought that I was going to need help with our first but luckily, after a time longer than I was expecting, it happened. I sure hope our second is a little faster lol But that won't be until I can get insurance. My husband's job does not cover family and funding for government insurance has gone down the drain, so unless you are making only $430 a month and having to live off of the government, you won't qualify. It is sad because here we are a hard working family that pays into the "system" and yet I can't get help when needed. I don't want to take away from anyone who really needs it but sadly I know that is not always the case (people lying to get government help). Hopefully our economy will start looking up (when a new president takes over because I dont see it happening with this one) and I will be able to receive at least some help in the health insurance department so we can start for #2 (which will be our last). 🙂

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  4. That picture is adorable! We try to make sure we have family time at least every Sunday. I agree with the importance of it! Time goes by so fast!

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  5. I absolutely LOVE the pic of you and your Mom. I always get choked up looking at these kinds of pics because my Mom died in 1997. She was the best mom ever. I miss her and love her so much.

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  6. My mom was not a great mom but that said i learned to rely on myself and it made me a better parent. thank you for sharing your story

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  7. What a beautiful picture of you and your Mom. I'm sorry she left you so young. But she lives on in your heart and memories. Bravo to your Mom , coming to a strange country and hardly knowing the language, is an incredible path for being so young at the time. Thanks for sharing your memories with us.
    Carol L

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  8. I was blessed with three children and I raised them the way my Mom raised me. I am lucky to still have my Mom and I still go to her when I have a problem/doubt for some advice -- We lived in a multi-generational household and it was wonderful to have the family together at meals...good memories

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  9. Love the photo. Your mom is beautiful, I mean just amazlingly beautiful. I've been to Vietnam, and loved it, and it was terrible to see all the people who are still suffering the effects of the war. I don't mean to be rude at all, but, it's not my view that IVF should be publically funded. The public should not have to pay for other people's choices. I personally would not feel comfortable with my tax dollars funding something such as that, because I am only comfortable with necessary medical care being covered, and, IVF is not necessary. I am also going to have to politely disagree with the way you described motherhood, as the most humbling, etc. I know that it is that way for some people, such as yourself, and that is wonderful. I am truly happy to see people feel that way about being a Mom! But it is not true for everyone. And there are many people who are child-free by choice, and, for those people, having a child would be the worst thing that could happen to them. Please understand that I totally respect your views, and don't mean to be rude in any way at all! I'm just voicing my opinion. 🙂 My issue with publically funded IVF is that I don't support the public funding of any elective procedure. I am not picking on IVF - I don't support publically-funding any non-essentail procedures, that's all. I realize that for some women, it feels essential, but the fact is that it is not. There are so many people here, already, on waiting lists, not receiving the essential procedures they need. I myself had to wait about half a year for an MRI of my not-yet-diagnosed tumour. Sorry, but that is essential, and I think it is only fair to direct public resources towards what is essential, not towards what is non-essential. There are people dying in this country, while on waiting lists. We need to attend to the essetial, first, before we can even think of covering the elective. That's my view, anyway.

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  10. Absolutely heart warming. How incredible it must have been to lose your parents so young. Never the less your logo says it all Powered by Mom!! Stay strong. I want to be just like you when I decide to grow up!! thank for all you do!!

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  11. I love your picture! Brings back memories. I would love to go to BC one day. Perhaps I will bring my family to Family Day!

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  12. That a weird reality that those who move out from their homes, come to live to a different, unknown country try their hardest and succeed, strong-minded etc oppose to those who did not have any changes in their lives

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  13. Your Mom sounds like she was a wonderful person. I'm sure you miss her very much. I'm glad she taught you to stand up and be strong. It really helps you get along better in life. Here's one for you mom, thumbs up.

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  14. Thank you for sharing the story of your family. It's really cool to hear about the sacrifices your mom has made for you and to be reminded of how challenging it can be for people to adapt to another country.

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  15. Thanks for sharing, Michelle, I can't even imagine leaving my home country and then raising a child somewhere else. Sorry for your loss, but I hope you know your mother gave you a lot. Good luck to you...

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  16. We've had Family Day here in Manitoba now for, I think, 4 years. It is great to have a day to celebrate family. I'm so sorry to hear that you lost your parents at such a young age! My Mom celebrated her 86th birthday last week and she's still in relatively good health, so that's certainly a blessing! My Dad passed away from cancer 11 years ago. You sure were a cute little girl!!

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  17. This picture of you and your daughter is BEAUTIFUL!!! I absolutely love the clothes you guys are wearing too. Thanks for sharing this special picture.

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  18. Memories are very important and a good thing to hold close to your heart. My parents were strong people and impacted my life greatly. I miss my dad very much and treasure each memory I have of him. I also hold the memories of my children growing up close. Family is very important. I tell my husband and daughter I love them daily. I hope you have another family day soon.

    Reply
  19. I like what you wrote about. With Mother's Day coming up I too lost my mother at a young age she was 51 and died on Mother's Day 19 years ago and my father 6 months later at 63, so I can relate to how important it is to remember and reflect.

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  20. I love that picture, thanks for sharing. It is bittersweet at times to sit down and reflect on good memories from our childhoods!

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  21. Love the picture! Really has this vintage feeling! As a teenager, I really understand where your article is coming from. My parents are immigrants and today most children are concerned with when the next iPod is coming out. We take the one's around us for granted. Family is more than we think it is, and I wish more people of my generation would see that.

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  22. beautiful picture,
    i loved spending time with my family.. when my mom was still here it was always sundays at moms..

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  23. This is a great article and your mother sounds like an amazing &very beautiful woman!
    I struggle to relate and have agood relationship with my mom, we're complete opposites.
    We show our emotions different ways, and she doesn't get me. just hinks i don't care.
    when it comes to me parenting my two sons(i'm a single mom) she dissagrees greatly and it causes a lot of fritction between us. ;/

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  24. I have seen first hand what IVF can and can't do. I also believe that couples or even single women should have equal access to bear children as anyone else. There is so much to go through with IVF it takes a really strong woman to put herself through it all in the hope that she will get one tiny person to love and cherish. Many don't realize how dangerous it is for women to have this done as well, it could cost her her life. I believe if she's willing to take the risk, the pain and possibility of being disappointed after putting so much of herself and money into having a child it should be allowed without interference. I also think insurance should cover the procedure as well if there is proof that there is no other viable option for her to have her own child.

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  25. First time commenter.. Wanted to day that I live the picture of you and your mom. It's lovely! Also that I'm a little jealous of the health care you get there in BC!

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    • Thank you Sianna and I just have to comment your name is so close to my daughter's name which is Sian 🙂 thanks it's one of my favorite pictures of my mom and I and overall I can't complain about BC in general I love Vancouver.

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  26. Yes it is sad to have to pay to have a child but they should only help a family pay for it if they can raise the child without government support.And you and your mom are very beautiful in this picture.

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  27. Hi Michelle, you were such a cute kid and your Mom's beautiful. What a strong woman she was to go through so much so young.

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  28. I am a t errible commenter. I love to share posts I like but always forget to comment myself.
    I lost my dad when I was a teen and then my husband lost both his parents. I hate that my dad never got to see me as a mom or meet his grandkids. My husband lost his parents when they were too young too. But they were so happy to be parents and to see that they had grandkids....so I feel for those that can't even imagine that.

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  29. I adore that photo of you and your mom. You both look so beautiful in it!

    I agree that public funding of IVF would significantly help many parents in BC achieve their dreams of parenthood without the excessive burden of figuring out how to pay of tens of thousands in debt.

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  30. I don't have a lot of "good" memories of growing up. The only thing I can think of is when my father would take me around on his sales route and we would sing in the car.

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  31. Nice family picture of you and your mother. Sometimes vacation plans have to be put aside due to illness. Unfortunately life goes that way sometimes.

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  32. Some of my fondest memories are those spent with my Grandpa. But boy do I have an awesome Mom, she is 76 and still going strong. She is everything I wish I could be.

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  33. That picture of you with your Mom is PRICELESS! Your Mom looks SO YOUNG and beautiful. I feel so bad for women who want to Mommies and can't. If money is the only obstacle, that just seems cruel. It makes me wonder why... why does God allow babies to be born to kids, who are no way prepared for parenthood? Or why does he allow babies to be born in poverty, or to drug addicted parents? I know we are supposed to trust in Him, but sometimes I just don't get it. Thank goodness for your husband and you who have a BEAUTIFUL little girl!

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  34. I agree that the cost of IVF should be part of BC's health care plan - covered completely. At the same time, contraception should be as well. I treasure most in my life (so far!) the Summers - on Cape Cod with my family and firends and with my two sets of grandparents (I was lucky to have both sets all my childhood and only just lost the last remaining - my Mom's mom - at the age of 98 - I am 50).

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  35. What a wonderful post (I tweeted), I had/have a wonderful family growing up we had so many family get togethers and my great grandparents always stuck to our Irish and Ukraine traditions-it was so interesting and fun. I also took many road trips with my parents and it was great. Life is crazy and we've had some awful things happen, but I want to make sure my kids have great memories as I did.

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    • Hi Lisa, thanks for asking I see what you mean it's not completely clear, it was taken directly from the study. 28% of all multiple births in Canada happen in BC, not IVF births necessarily but multiple births. Hope that helps.

      Reply
  36. i think about the times when i was born i was born in the 70`s also acually 1973 and have pictures of my mom when she was young and when i was little i show them to my kids they dont believe i was ever little like they were i love looking at the memories (picture)

    Reply

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