In this episode, Dr. Baron sits down with Lauren Makler, CEO and co-founder of Cofertility, to discuss her profound journey navigating a sudden medical diagnosis and how it changed her perspective on family building. This honest conversation explores the intense intersection of medical trauma, the desire to become a parent, and finding agency when life feels out of control.

At 29 years old, Lauren's life shifted instantly when she received a diagnosis of a rare disease called multicystic peritoneal mesothelioma. Facing multiple surgeries and the very real possibility of losing her ovaries, her diagnosis led her to look into egg donation.

This personal journey opened her eyes to gaps in the fertility industry and ultimately inspired Lauren to co-found Cofertility, reshaping the donor conception landscape to help others safely navigate their own unique paths to parenthood.

If you're navigating a medical diagnosis or holding on to hope while facing the road to parenthood, this episode is for you.

About Lauren Makler:

Lauren Makler is the Co-Founder and CEO of Cofertility, a human-first fertility ecosystem that helps women freeze their eggs for free when donating half, making egg donation less transactional and egg freezing more accessible. Named one of Inc's 2025 Female Founder 500 and Fast Company's 2023 Most Creative People in Business, and featured in top press outlets including Vogue, Forbes, Entrepreneur, Marie Claire, Women's Health, and many more, Lauren is recognized for her innovative approach to increasing accessibility and driving systemic change in healthcare. She's shared her insights on these topics—ranging from healthcare equity to innovation in fertility—at high-profile events including the Hello Sunshine Shine Away summit, HLTH, Harvard Business School, and other leading conferences and institutions.

Previously, as an early Uber employee, she founded Uber Health, leveraging Uber's vast driver network to improve healthcare outcomes through patient transportation and healthcare delivery. Under her leadership, the business helped millions of patients access the care they needed. Before that, she played a key role in expanding Uber's core business along the East Coast and led the company's first healthcare initiative—nationwide, on-demand flu shot campaigns.

After receiving a rare disease diagnosis, Lauren's personal fertility journey inspired her to create a more accessible, empowering path for those looking to freeze their eggs or find an egg donor. She lives in Los Angeles with her husband and their miracle babies, Eden and Jonah.

Connect with Lauren :

Website‍ ‍ Cofertility Instagram ‍ ‍Personal Instagram

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