As I wrote in this new essay published on Medium, it was perhaps only a matter of time before the lives of Louise Joy Brown, now 37-years old and residing in Bristol, England, and mine finally intersected.
Jessica Hepburn, noted UK author and blogger, was the one who brought us together in a blog post titled Test Tube Tales. Soon thereafter, Louise Joy Brown favorited this Tweet.
.@JessicaPursuit @LouiseJoyBrown Awestruck by the reach of #infertility. Thank you Jessica for tying our #ivf stories together #FinallyHeard
— Pamela M Tsigdinos (@PamelaJeanne) August 3, 2015
Our ‘six degrees of separation’ introduction began because Jessica was kind enough to read and blog about my latest ebook, Finally Heard. She finished it the very same week she learned that Louise Joy Brown’s autobiography, My Life as the World’s First Test-Tube Baby, became available.
“Finally Heard explores her perspective ten years on. One of the things that struck me most when reading it is that we’re living in unchartered times. Pamela was one of the first women to speak publicly about the prevalence and impact of fertility treatment failure in a world where the media is much more interested in the miracle baby story. Louise Brown is, of course, queen of miracles and the first in a line of new generations to speak out about how it feels to be given life by science.”
I’m all the more grateful for Jessica’s time because she has been busy training for what can only be described as an impressive and daunting challenge: swimming the English Channel. Her effort, which she describes in more detail here, is “for two causes close to my heart – for families who do not have the children they long for and children who do not have the families they deserve.”
I’m supporting Jessica in this noble cause. I’d encourage you to consider joining me.
Now, over to you blog readers. Would you like to share any experiences with six degrees of separation?
p.s. Just recalled one other point of intersection with me and Louise: Bourn Hall, the clinic where her parents sought treatment, asked me earlier this year to contribute to the clinic’s blog. My piece, When Is It Time to Move Away From IVF Treatment, can be found here.
Well, how cool is that?? :) I would be interested to read Louise’s book. I well remember when she was born (I was 17 at the time) & what a stir it caused — never dreaming (like you) that I would someday need fertility treatments myself. I am grateful to Lesley Brown for paving the way to help so many other women fulfill their dream — and yet, while we’ve come a long way since then in some respects, I think we’re still in the very early days of this technology and understanding all the ramifications.
As for six degrees — nothing fertility related that I can think of, but I have discovered that some of my friends on FB (from disparate parts of my life) know each other, which was kind of weird at first. Also, through my genealogy research, I’ve discovered that one of my fourth cousins (whom I’ve never met) is married to a famous Canadian author, and her brother (who would also be my fourth cousin) is a country-western singer. :)
Very cool! I also remember Louise Brown’s birth, and agree with Loribeth’s comments on society still not understanding the technology.
As for coming together via the internet, it turned out that Klara in Slovenia knew someone who was the friend of the cousin of my sister-in-law (by marriage) – a Malaysian American. Slovenia-NZ-Malaysia-America. It’s a small world!
Six degrees of separation though – I am one or two degrees of separation away from numerous royalty, Presidents, a Miss Universe, the current Head of the UNDP (and by association, I guess all the leaders of the world!), etc etc etc.
Wow. Just wow. What an impact. So many thoughts swirling through my head from this. Particularly in light of Ms. Brown’s autobiography.
For now, just wow.
So cool! I’m interested to hear what others think of her autobiography and see if I want to read it or not (autobiographies/biographies aren’t typically one of my preferred genres).
As for six degrees, I met Bob Schieffer of CBS Face the Nation fame (who is also the lead singer of a not terrible country western cover band) so I suppose I am connected to many people of power through him. I’ve also met John Glenn so I’m connected to a bunch of astronauts (some that walked on the moon!) and a bunch of politicians through him!