Worth the Wait Charity | LinkedIn (original) (raw)
Non-profit Organization Management
Columbus, Ohio 437 followers
Fertility & Adoption Grants for Cancer Survivors
About us
We provide young adult cancer survivors financial assistance to pursue parenthood by preserving fertility before cancer treatment or building a family after through adoption, fertility treatments or surrogacy in survivorship. Young adult cancer patients often have just a few days to decide if they want to preserve their fertility and deal with the associated finances. Moreover, years later when they want to become parents, they often face the costly reality of infertility treatments, adoption or even surrogacy. Most private insurances/employers do not cover fertility preservation and treatment or adoption, even for cancer survivors. Worth the Wait, a 501 (c) (3), is easing the burden by providing financial support for egg /embryo freezing, sperm banking, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization, gestational surrogacy and adoption for cancer survivors no matter where they are in their journey.
Industry
Non-profit Organization Management
Company size
2-10 employees
Headquarters
Columbus, Ohio
Type
Nonprofit
Founded
2021
Specialties
nonprofit, charity, cancer, infertility, and adoption
Locations
Employees at Worth the Wait Charity
Updates
- Our team kicked the year off with immediate impact awarding 9 family building grants to young adult cancer survivors who are pursuing parenthood. Our grant recipients included: 💫 3 surrogacy grants 💫 5 IVF grants 💫 1 post cancer treatment egg freezing grant Thanks to Megan-Claire Chase, Lesley Northrop, PhD, FACMG, Mike Scherer, CFP® and Megan Scherer.
- "Being a mom after cancer means my fight was worth it and that cancer didn’t win. Cancer tried to take my motherhood, but it couldn’t. Being Maryellen’s mama has restored my joy and brought purpose to a long, hard fought journey. She was without a doubt worth the fight and worth the wait." -Marlee, Breast Cancer Survivor, Worth the Wait Grant Recipient and Proud Mom
- AI is revolutionizing industries across the board, and art is no exception. Megan and Mike worked with Arcus Biosciences and their AI artist to create a captivating and playful portrait that beautifully tells their story.Mike shares "When I think about my cancer diagnosis, and where it’s taken us, I don’t feel the anger I used to feel. Instead, I’m in disbelief and amazement at where we are with opportunities at this point in our lives. I can’t say I’m angry anymore because I can see the blessings that we have and how thankful we are for them."
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High school sweethearts Megan and Mike have faced life’s ups and downs together, from long-distance dating in college, to facing Mike’s cancer diagnosis a few years later, to the fertility struggles they confronted after completing treatment. Despite the challenges, what remained constant was their love and commitment to each other. Inspired by their own experience after welcoming their son, they founded Worth the Wait Charity, providing grants to young cancer survivors seeking to preserve fertility or aid in family building. Visit AIPortraitsOfCancer.com to learn more about their story and view the #PortrAItsOfCancer gallery. - "After being blessed with a son, Megan and I founded Worth the Wait, to ensure that young cancer patients and survivors have the opportunity to start a family of their own through fertility treatments, adoption or surrogacy." - Mike Scherer, CFP®
- We're thrilled that Gilead Sciences has awarded us with a grant. Watch out for the impact we'll be able to make in 2025 in the form of education and advocacy. All adolescent and young adult cancer patients deserve the right to conversations about fertility preservation (before cancer treatment) and family building (in survivorship). #healthequity #oncofertility
- Last week Lesley Northrop, PhD, FACMG and Megan Scherer's "Diversity and Inclusion of Cancer Survivors Seeking Fertility Preservation" poster was at the Oncofertility Consortium Conference. It sparked some wonderful conversations with referring nurse navigators, reproductive endocrinologists and other partners. 💫 The majority of our first 76 grants (now 128) were for fertility preservation. 💫Sex organ cancers (breast, ovarian, uterine, cervical and testicular) were the most common diagnosis requiring fertility preservation, followed by blood cancers. 💫The average age for male and female grant recipients is 27. 💫 29% of grant recipients are Asian, Black, Hispanic or 2+ races.
- Thanks for having Mike Scherer, CFP® on your podcast to talk about testicular cancer, the importance of sperm banking and taking care of yourself for others. Self-exams save lives--please share with the young men in your life.
In this episode, hosts Dr. Kevin Chu and Dr. Justin Dubin launch the Perspective Series with a focus on testicular cancer, coinciding with Movember—a month dedicated to men’s health awareness. Testicular cancer is one of the most common cancers among men in their late 20s and early 30s, making self-exams crucial. The hosts emphasize the importance of regularly checking for abnormalities and seeking medical advice promptly. Joining them is Mike Scherer, a cancer survivor and co-founder of the charity Worth the Wait. Mike shares his inspiring journey with testicular cancer, including the challenges he faced in acknowledging his diagnosis and the critical importance of early detection. He discusses the common tendency for men to ignore warning signs and the need for proactive health measures. Throughout the episode, listeners will learn about the significance of sperm banking for cancer survivors, especially those diagnosed with testicular cancer. With a high cure rate, it's vital to focus on life after cancer and ensure that survivors have the opportunity to plan for families. Tune in now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Amazon, and YouTube! FOLLOW THE MAN UP PODCAST: Instagram: instagram.com/themanuppod/TikTok: https://lnkd.in/gBeV47_XX/Twitter: twitter.com/themanuppodFOLLOW OUR GUEST: Instagram: instagram.com/scherermike/ | https://lnkd.in/g7kKvUFm youtu.be/4uTsB8wgnOI #podcast #menshealth #perspectiveseries #cancer #testicularcancer #healthcare #optimalwellness #man #wellness - We are thrilled to announce that Victoria’s Secret & Co. is supporting Worth the Wait's mission of supporting the fertility and family building needs of young adult cancer patients. Their generous support will enable us to expand our reach and impact, helping more young survivors realize their dreams of parenthood. Thank you, Victoria’s Secret, for believing in our vision.
- Worth the Wait grant recipient, Laina, was only 29 when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She shares, "When I was diagnosed, I felt like my entire world came crashing down. The fear of the unknown was overwhelming, not only for my health but also for my dreams of becoming a mother someday. As I faced the reality of chemotherapy, I was terrified that the treatment would rob me of my fertility, a significant concern that weighed heavily on my heart."
- AstraZeneca is supporting our mission and empowering us to partner with nonprofits to educate young cancer patients, patient advocates and clinicians about fertility preservation and family building. One upcoming educational event is "Family Building and Cancer" on Dec. 5 with National Coalition for Cancer Survivorship. Thank you AstraZeneca for your support!