One year in. And what a year it has been.

In this episode I am joined by Katie Rollings, founder of Fertility Action, to mark the charity's first birthday. We talk about everything from the support groups that have quietly changed people's lives, to the campaign work happening at the highest levels of government, to what Katie believes the next big push needs to be: a national fertility strategy.

This is a conversation full of hope. There is still so much to do, but the momentum is real, the people are extraordinary, and the case for change has never been stronger.

What we discuss in this episode:

• What Fertility Action has achieved in its first year and the stories that have kept Katie going
• How the support groups actually work and why showing up with your camera off is completely fine
• The Trying to Conceive group, the Positive Test and Beyond group, the Secondary Infertility group and what each one has become
• The in-person walk-and-talk meetups in London and Manchester
• The woman who found her best friend through a Fertility Action support group
• Why the Life After Treatment group has been harder to grow and what Fertility Action is learning from that
• The South Asian support group and why in-person connection is what that community really needs
• The new NICE guidelines and the change that barely made the headlines: up to six cycles in selected patients
• Why campaigning at ICB level has not worked and why Fertility Action is now pushing for central commissioning
• How fertility treatment compares across Europe and why the UK is falling behind
• Why fertility still sits awkwardly between the Women's Health Strategy and the Men's Health Strategy and gets properly covered in neither
• Why Katie believes the UK urgently needs its own national fertility strategy
• The education project Fertility Action has launched with colleges and the National Education Union
• The moment a 17-year-old student challenged them in a college debate and what happened next
• The Three Peaks Challenge: why Katie chose it, who is doing it and how to donate
• Fertility Action's birthday celebrations and what the next two years look like
• How to get involved as a volunteer

About Katie Rollings and Fertility Action

Katie Rollings is the founder of Fertility Action, the UK's newest fertility charity, now celebrating its first birthday. Fertility Action provides free peer support groups, education and advocacy for the one in six people struggling to conceive. All of the team are volunteers and every penny raised goes directly into building more services for patients.

Find out more and access support: fertilityaction.org

Follow Fertility Action on Instagram: @fertilityaction

Fertility Action support groups

All groups are free, online and run every week. There is no expectation to keep showing up. You can come with your camera off. You can just sit in the chat. It is as low-pressure as it gets.

• Trying to Conceive (Tuesdays and Thursdays)
• Positive Test and Beyond
• Secondary Infertility
• Life After Treatment
• South Asian Fertility Support (developing)

Sign up at fertilityaction.org

Birthday celebrations

Fertility Action is holding two celebrations for its first birthday:

• A formal event with clinical partners and supporters
• Quiz and Fizz at Fisher's Farm on 23 May, open to the wider community

Get involved

Fertility Action is a grassroots, all-volunteer charity and they need help across everything from research and communications to events and policy. If you have skills and a bit of time to offer, they would love to hear from you.

Get in touch at fertilityaction.org

This episode is sponsored by Wild Nutrition

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As a listener of The Fertility Podcast, you can get:

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Visit wildnutrition.com/fertilitypodcast to get started. Terms and conditions apply.

Support the Three Peaks Challenge

I am joining Katie and a brilliant group of people from across the fertility sector to climb Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Snowdon in 24 hours in June, raising funds for Fertility Action. Every donation, however small, goes directly towards building more support services for people going through this. And yes, I will be giving you a shout-out on the podcast if you donate.

Here's how you can donate

Stay connected

Follow me on Instagram: @fertilitypoddy

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Thank you, as always, for your ear holes. Until next time 💛