Warning: Discussions of birth trauma during parts of this episode

In this heartfelt episode of the Paths to Parenthub Podcast, Becvky and Hayley are joined by Akua, who openly shares her family building story as a mum through surrogacy and sperm donation with her husband.

Akua talks candidly about the many challenges she and her husband faced along the way, including navigating fertility struggles, choosing a donor who reflected her husband’s heritage, finding a surrogate, and managing the unexpected reality of a cancer diagnosis in the middle of their journey.

Today, Akua is the proud mum of three amazing girls. She reflects on the role of support, community, and Paths to Parenthub membership in helping her through the highs and lows of the process. She also shares practical tips for talking with children about surrogacy and donor conception, and why honesty and openness are so important.

This is a powerful, moving conversation filled with insight, resilience, and hope, one that will resonate with anyone navigating donor conception, surrogacy, or supporting families who are.

Other mentions in this episode – our free ‘Why Telling Matters’ webinar, head over to our website, www.pathstoparenthub.com/free-resources/ to get your link. The Paths to Parenthub community membership, details can be found via our website or checking us out on socials.

The season is supported by TV Edwards Solicitors. For more information about the services they provide or to arrange an appointment with Anest Mathias please head over to their website www.tvedwards.com/person/anest-mathias/

In this special episode of the Paths to Parenthub Podcast, Becky and Hayley are joined by not one, but two leading specialists in donor conception. We welcome Anest Mathias, solicitor and legal expert at TV Edwards, and Mr. James Nicolopoulos, consultant gynaecologist at The Lister Clinic, to explore a topic that is often less talked about: using a known egg or sperm donor at a UK HFEA licensed clinic.

Together, they unpack:

• The step by step process of using a known donor in a clinic setting
• Legal, medical, and emotional considerations for intended parents and donors
• The potential pros and cons of this path to parenthood
• What needs to be considered if using a known donor outside of a clinic, and how the legal position can differ
• The wider implications for families and children
• Honest, frank conversations to help bring greater clarity and confidence

If you’ve ever wondered what this journey looks like, this episode will give you valuable insights from both the legal and medical perspectives, helping you make informed decisions.

For more free resources and support see our website www.pathstoparenthub.com or follow us on Instagram @path_to_parenthub

For all your legal advice see Tv Edwards solicitors https://tvedwards.com/person/anest-mathias/

In this bonus episode of the Paths to Parenthub Podcast, Becky and Hayley are back to share something very special – the return of their much-loved in-person event: Donor Conception: Connecting Through Conversations.

Now in its 4th year running, this sold-out every time event is designed for:

• Those considering donor conception
• Anyone currently trying to conceive
• People pregnant after donor conception

It’s a whole day dedicated to support, connection, and community, where you’ll meet others who truly understand the journey you’re on.

Early bird pricing ends 7th September – don’t wait! Solo, couples and professional tickets available.

Find all the details and book your place at pathstoparenthub.com under Events.

We cannot wait to see you there!

In this powerful and refreshingly honest episode, Becky is joined by actor, celebrant, and motivational speaker Cerith Jones, who shares his and his wife’s ongoing journey to parenthood using donor sperm.

After 18 years on stage and screen (with roles in Eastenders, Wolfblood, Hollyoaks and more), Cerith is now telling a different kind of story - his own. Living with male infertility (non-obstructive azoospermia), Cerith opens up about the emotional impact of diagnosis, the reality of life in limbo, and what it means to keep showing up with hope, even when the outcome is still uncertain.

With humour, vulnerability, and depth, Cerith breaks the silence around male infertility and donor conception, speaking candidly about identity, partnership, and staying connected through the unknowns.

This episode is a must listen for anyone navigating donor conception, feeling stuck in the waiting, or seeking strength in shared stories.

For more information about our supportive community at Paths to Parenthub, please see our website www.pathstoparenthub.com or follow us on Instagram @paths_to_parenthub

You can follow Cerith on Instagram too @flinncerith

A huge thank you to our podcast supporters for Season 3, TV Edwards Solicitors. You can learn more about their services and book a call with Anest Mathias via their website www.tvedwards.com/person/anest-mathias/

In this powerful episode of Season 3, Becky and Hayley are joined by Alexa, a Canadian based mum whose journey to parenthood through known egg donation is full of unexpected twists, turns and emotional complexity.

Alexa shares her experience of navigating fertility treatment with honesty, offering a window into the emotional and practical realities of building a family through egg donation. She offers thoughtful advice and heartfelt insight for would-be parents considering donor conception, speaking with frankness, warmth, and compassionate reflection. Alexa and her husband are now parents to a beautiful baby boy, but the road to get there was far from simple, with some VERY unexpected twists along the way.

Later in the episode, UK family law solicitor Anest Mathias from TV Edwards Solicitors returns to offer expert legal insight, this time focusing on the rights of donor conceived people in the UK, a vital area for anyone thinking about the long-term impact of their family building decisions.

Whether you’re just beginning to explore donor conception, in the thick of the journey, or supporting others through it, this episode is for you.

Mentions in the episode: Dani Shapiro’s memoir ‘Inheritance’.

For more information about our Paths to Parenthub membership www.pathstoparenthub.com

Supporters of Season 3 – TV Edwards, for more information about their legal services head to www.tvedwards.com/person/anest-mathias/

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook @paths_to_parenthub

Welcome to Season 3 of The Paths to Parenthub Podcast, where we’re diving deeper into the world of donor conception, blending powerful lived experiences with vital legal insight.

In this first episode, Becky and Hayley speak with Cristina, a mum who shares her moving journey to parenthood through egg donation as part of a mum-dad family. Cristina opens up with honesty and warmth about what it meant to let go of a genetic connection, how she and her partner navigated the decision together, and how they now embrace openness in telling their child’s story.

This episode offers comfort, raw truths, and reassurance for anyone grappling with the complex emotions that often accompany donor conception.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Cristina’s path to choosing egg donation and how the decision unfolded as a couple
• The emotional process of having children with her genetics, and then a further child using a donor
• Reflections on identity, love, and what truly makes a parent
• How Cristina approaches openness with her child
• The importance of finding connection and representation along the way

Plus: Legal Insight from Anest Mathias (TV Edwards)

At the end of this episode, specialist family law solicitor Anest Mathias answers a key legal question related to Cristina’s story.

TV Edwards are the proud supporters of Season 3 of The Paths to Parenthub Podcast. You can learn more about the family law services Anest and the team at TV Edwards provide here www.tvedwards.com/person/anest-mathias/

Paths to Parenthub Resources and Membership

Facebook

Instagram

In this mini-episode, listen as Becky and Hayley announce that season three of the podcast is underway and learn more about the upcoming Donor Conception Virtual Summit happening in April - an event not to be missed!

Link to get tickets - www.pathstoparenthub.com/virtual-summit

In this episode of the podcast, Becky and Hayley address the upset that was caused by a series of comedy sketches from a UK comedian, which centred around her experience as an egg donor. The sketches sparked widespread upset among our audience, amplifying deeper fears and concerns that are often felt by our community members. 

In an attempt to address the issue, Becky and Hayley explore how the sketches, intended as humour, inadvertently tapped into larger, unresolved complexities of donor, recipient and donor conceived relationships. The episode reflects on how comedy can sometimes unintentionally compound sensitive issues, leaving audiences feeling unsettled and vulnerable. Throughout the conversation, Becky and Hayley offer reassurance and provide practical advice for processing these emotions, guiding listeners through how to manage their feelings and navigate these difficult and often triggering topics with care and compassion. 

Show notes 

*Original recordings of reels taken from Instagram account @holyguacamole97

**Note that egg donation compensation levels in the UK are currently £985 per donation cycle not £950 as mentioned in the episode. For more info about UK donation compensation levels please see the HFEA website

www.hfea.gov.uk

FREE RESOURCE – In the episode Becky and Hayley refer to a helpful webinar, “Who is the real Mum/Dad’ click here to get free access https://pathstoparenthub.com/so-whos-the-real-mum-dad/

Paths to Parenthub Membership & Website 

www.pathstoparenthub.com

Becky

https://www.instagram.com/definingmum?igsh=c2ZoejR1ZW11Nnk4

Hayley

https://www.instagram.com/dcp_journey_2_rp?igsh=N2p4dHlpejE1Z3U4

Mel

https://www.instagram.com/the_stork_and_i?igsh=Ynh1cG5nOXMzaHg5

Paths to Parenthub

https://www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub?igsh=YTNtdjZxZGF3dHM4

In this episode, Becky and Hayley invite Mel Johnson to share her story of how a solo route to parenthood was the right choice for her. Mel candidly shares her experience of solo motherhood, using a sperm donor to conceive, and why she decided to set up the ‘Stork and I’ online community in order to support others on this path.

Following on from an exciting announcement earlier this month, Becky, Hayley and Mel share the benefits of the new collaboration between Paths to ParentHub and The Stork and I and explain how solo members can gain access to a wealth of resources and support that’s now available through both platforms. During this episode the trio discuss the nuances of using a donor within different family types, and how we can best provide support and offer community for everyone.

Finally, Mel rounds off this insightful episode with her ‘top tips’ when embarking on treatment as a solo parent. She also offers those already parenting some invaluable advice for anyone feeling like they would like more support in this area.

Show notes

Open to sharing your story?! In preparation for series 3 of the Paths to Parenthub podcast, Becky and Hayley are actively seeking people like you to join them on an episode. If this is something you would like to learn more about send us an email at [email protected] subject ‘share my story’

Website

www.pathstoparenthub.com

Link to waitlist page for future Paths to ParentHub Events

https://pathstoparenthub.com/event/

Instagram profiles

Becky

https://www.instagram.com/definingmum?igsh=c2ZoejR1ZW11Nnk4

Hayley

https://www.instagram.com/dcp_journey_2_rp?igsh=N2p4dHlpejE1Z3U4

Mel

https://www.instagram.com/the_stork_and_i?igsh=Ynh1cG5nOXMzaHg5

Paths to Parenthub

https://www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub?igsh=YTNtdjZxZGF3dHM4

In this episode Becky and Hayley speak candidly about their interactions and experiences of listening to donor conceived people, particularly within the online space.

They discuss what they have learnt from listening to those voices and reflect on why it’s so important to keep an open mind when engaging in these conversations, even when some of those discussions can be challenging. 

Through thoughtful conversation Becky and Hayley share their tips and advice around how best to navigate spaces that discuss donor conception, and share with their audience alternative ways to gain insight without having to be constantly scrolling on your phone!

Young Adults Study (YAS) as mentioned in episode

https://www.youngadultsstudy.co.uk/project-outputs/yas-report

Donor Conception: Connecting Through Conversations London Event Tickets

https://pathstoparenthub.com/event/

Paths to Parenthub Membership details:

https://pathstoparenthub.com

Final Paths to Parenthub event tickets for 2nd November: https://pathstoparenthub.com/event

Paths to Parenthub Instagram

page: www.instagram.com/paths_to_parenthub

Hayley’s Instagram page: www.instagram.com/dcp_journey_2_rp

Becky’s Instagram pages: https://www.instagram.com/definingmum