I am ashamed to admit that I had not heard of the passing of Robert G. Edwards this past April. Not that I would have recognized the name, which shames me all over again, but the story would have caught my attention. He is one of the two men who “discovered” IVF. One of the men who is the reason that I am a mother. The reason my world is filled with joy, and love, and laughter. The reason I am overwhelmed with emotion at every moment of the day. And he passed, and I did not know. I was unable to take a minute to say a thank you to the universe for providing a man who had a vision. A vision for being able to help infertile couples around the world. A man who refused to give up after many, many failures. Years of failures. I can account to years of failure too! His motivation to keep going, just so he could help others have babies. It is amazing. He deserved the noble prize, and I am happy that he got it before he passed. If I had a noble prize, I would have handed him mine. I would have loved to give him a hug.
If you’d like to read a little about his life, please read this. And if you have had success, or even if you haven’t and you are relying on IVF to give you a family, please send a big thank you and a big hug into the universe for him and his partner Patrick Steptoe (who passed in 1988). Their work was not always appreciated as it should have been, but I owe them so much for my beautiful baby girl. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Wifey, Mommy, and What Have You 