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Grants worth £400 are now available to islanders who need to travel away from Jersey for IVF – often at short notice – after concerns were raised about the high price of treatment during a cost-of-living crisis.
However, it is anticipated that the current funds will last for about six months, and the charity's founder has called on the local government to come into line with national guidance for public funding for fertility treatment.
The announcement of funding comes after a survey – carried out by infertility support charity Tiny Seeds – exposed that some islanders were selling their houses, unable to purchase them or delaying weddings in order to generate funds to pay for IVF treatment during a cost-of-living crisis.
Tiny Seeds identified that the 56 respondents had spent an average of £15,000 on IVF, with over £2,500 on top of that going towards travel and accommodation costs.
Now, it has announced the start of a fund – supported by the Jersey Community Foundation with money from dormant bank accounts – to allow Tiny Seeds to offer £400 grants to those who would otherwise struggle to cover the travel and accommodation costs associated with the requirement to travel off-island to private fertility clinics for IVF.
Pictured: Chloé Fosse (centre) established the Tiny Seeds charity a year ago to help those in Jersey struggling with infertility or seeking IVF treatment.
Chloé Fosse, founder and charity operations manager, said: "Travel for IVF, due to the nature of the treatment, can only be booked last minute and as a result is often a very expensive and added stress to an already stressful experience.
"Following the results of our recent survey, we saw the very real impact that the cost of IVF alongside the high cost of living is having on those who need the treatment in the hope of bringing home a baby."
The Jersey Community Fund said they were "proud" to support Tiny Seeds, with no current provisions for IVF in Jersey.
More information about the fund, including how to apply for a grant or make a donation towards it, can be found here.
As many as one in six couples struggle with infertility, which is classed as a disease by the World Health Organisation. Yet sadly there is often a stigma and taboo that surrounds it.
Express spoke to Chloé Fosse, the founder of local charity Tiny Seeds, about infertility, IVF treatment, and the cost-of-living pressures placed on couples undergoing treatment. Listen to the interview below or search 'Bailiwick Podcasts'...
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