Join Our Surrogacy & Egg Donor Event in Sydney
The only weekend of its kind in Australia, bringing together surrogates, donors, parents and intended parents, along with Australian and international family-building professionals – all under one roof.
Surrogacy & Egg Donor Event Details
Date: Saturday, 22 June 2024 to Sunday, 23 June, 2024
Time: 9.30am to 5.30pm
Location: Sydney Central Hotel, 169-179 Thomas St, Haymarket, NSW
Tickets: Click below for prices
*Discounted early bird tickets available until 10 May
*Surrogate & Donor Saturday tickets are free, but limited, so please register!
What to Expect at our Surrogacy & Donor Event?
This event is a unique chance to explore a range of options under one roof, get to know providers, and connect with parents, donors and surrogates.
For many, the path to parenthood is not straightforward. There are many hurdles, heartaches, lots of information and many people involved along the way. Every path to parenthood is unique and our Sydney events recognise that.
Talk with Experts Face-to-Face About Your Unique Situation
Interactive ‘Ask Me Anything’ panels, that include recent parents who have been on their alternate family building journey.
There will be networking opportunities and plenty of time to talk one on one with experts at their information stands to find out the different ways to fulfil your family building dream.
This event will guide you on:
- Surrogacy & Egg Donor Options by Country
- Medical & Donor Considerations
- Legal Issues
- Safety and support for intended parents, donors and surrogates
One-on-One Consultations:
Included with your ticket is the opportunity to arrange meetings with many experts. Read the profiles on each speaker and email us to arrange your consultation meetings.
*Ticket price includes: one-on-one consultation with expert providers, lunch, afternoon tea, networking drinks and nibbles. The breaks each day & networking drinks provide an opportunity to freely talk with expert speakers, donor, surrogates, recent parents and children.
SPEAKERS AT OUR SURROGACY & EGG DONOR EVENT
Sarah Bevan, Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers
Sarah Bevan is a highly experienced family law practitioner, accredited specialist, arbitrator, and leader in surrogacy law, known for her landmark contributions in diverse family legal matters including same-sex parenting rights.
Katrina Hale, Katrina Hale Psychology and Consulting
Katrina Hale is a seasoned Sydney-based Psychologist and Infertility Counsellor with over two decades of counseling expertise, dedicated to supporting individuals from all backgrounds in their pursuit of family-building through surrogacy.
Shadi Kashaba, IVF Australia
A father through surrogacy himself, Dr Kashaba is a leading voice in improving access to ART services for members of the LGBTIQ community.
Trudy Urquhart, Mum via Domestic Surrogacy
Trudy navigated international and domestic surrogacy journeys, enduring challenges including miscarriages and failed transfers, yet persisting in their quest to build their family.
SURROGACY & EGG DONOR EVENT AGENDA
9.25-9.35am
Welcome
9.35-9.50am
Pros & Cons of Domestic vs International Family Building
9.50-10.05am
Local Egg Donor Options
Donor availability; How clinics screen donors; Carrier screening; Donor family limits; Donor characteristics, ethnicities and matching
10.05-10.25
Good ingredients – Making strong embryos
Medical considerations & screening for egg and sperm providers. What can IVF specialists do to assess Sperm & egg quality prior to IVF? What impact does age have? What other factors affect sperm or egg quality? What can I do to improve quality? Carrier screening,
10.25-10.55
Donor Panel
Australian egg donors discuss their motivations, relationships with recipients, counselling, experience with medications and much more
10.55-11.15am
The Altruistic Headspace
Provides a Step By Step guide to Australia’s friendship-based Surrogacy model
11.15-11.45am
Morning Tea
11.45 – 12:00pm
What To look For in an IVF Clinic
Knowing which IVF clinic is best for your needs can save you years of heartache. Which have donors available? Which know how to work with surrogates? Which have easier paperwork requirements? How can I interpret success rates?
12.00-12.15pm
Australian Surrogacy Agreements
What should be included in these, what is their purpose, do they differ by state?
12.15 – 1.00pm
Who’d be a surrogate?
Given the morning sickness, weight gain, fatigue & unending medical appointments, what motivates them to keep going? Australian surrogates discuss their motivations, decision-making, what they look for in recipients, relationships and hurdles.
1.00 – 2.00pm
Lunch
2.00-2.50pm
Parent Panel
Parents discuss their journeys via Donor IVF or domestic Surrogacy.
2.50-3.05pm
Legal Parentage after Domestic Arrangements
Timelines, costs, processes
3.05-3.30pm
Looking After Your surrogate, your Donor & Yourself
infertility psychologist.
3.30pm-4.00PM
AFTERNOON TEA & NETWORKING
4.00-4.40pm
The Impact on Families
Children of surrogates & donors discuss the impact on their lives of surrogacy, relationships with half-siblings and surro-siblings
4.40-5.10pm
The Reality – Outcomes for Kids
Young adults born via domestic ED or surrogacy discuss their lives, disclosure and their sense of self
5.10-6.00pm
Networking Drinks
6.15pm – late
Surrogacy Community Dinner
SUNDAY JUNE 23RD -9.00am
REGISTRATION
9.10-9.40am
Considerations in Selecting a Country
Where can I engage? What are the pros and cons of each destination? How do surrogate match times differ? What legal protections are offered? How do costs compare? Are there fixed cost programs available? How do hybrid programs work?
9.40-9.55am
Important considerations in selecting a Surrogacy Agency & IVF Clinic
Big or small? Cost variability, past parents, staffing, support
9.55-10.15am
Medical Screening of International Donors & Surrogates
Why is medical screening so important? What is best practice in regard to surrogate medical screening? What are the typical issues that are red flags/ rule out a surrogate or donor? Are ‘mock’ cycles recommended prior to surrogacy embryo transfers
10.15-10.30am
10.30-11.00am
MORNING TEA
11.00-11.20am
IVF Experts Panel
11.20-11.50am
Cultural Differences in Surrogacy Practice
How does surrogacy practice differ in the US, Canada, Georgia & Colombia, in regard to surrogate screening, care, reimbursement and contact pre and post birth?
Moderator: ..(USA), … (Colombia, Mexico), … (Canada),… (Georgia)
11.50-12.05pm
Parental rights for Australians after OS Surrogacy
What countries present a challenge; what issues do intended parents needvto address?
12.05-12.30pm
International Legal Experts Panel
Surrogacy lawyers discussing the legal issues associated with surrogacy and egg donation in the US, Canada and Argentina. Contracts & Agreements; birth certificates; legal parentage; when and how parental transfer occurs, timelines
12.30-1.10pm
International Parent Journeys
Recent parents who engaged abroad discuss decision-making, surrogate relationships, disclosure to family, Differences in medication regimes cultural barriers; hurdles along the way, legal parentage, costs and a myriad of audience questions
1.10-1.50pm
LUNCH
1.50-2.20pm
Break Out 1 Surrogacy in USA
Break Out 2 Surrogacy in Canada
Break Out 3 Surrogacy in Georgia
2.20-2.50pm
Break Out 4 Surrogacy in USA
Break Out 5 Surrogacy in Argentina
Break Out 6 Surrogacy in Mexico or Colombia
2.50-3.10pm
Embryos and Sperm Shipping
3.10-3.30pm
Insurance for your surrogate and Newborn
3.30-3.50pm
Travel, Citizenship & Passport Processes for returning infants
3.50-4.20pm
The Reality – Outcome for Kids
Teenagers & young adults born via International surrogacy discuss their lives, disclosure and their sense of self.
Why Attend this Event if You’ve Been Before?:
Surrogacy & Donor options, wait times and agency capacity change regularly given the high demand. Our events focus on providing the latest information and updates. We constantly review feedback on risks and other hurdles to allow you to better plan.
So, no matter where you are in your family building journey, these events provide essential updated information + an opportunity to talk with recent parents, surrogates, donors and experts.
Meet Our Expert Speakers
Anastasia Polonska
IP Support Manager, Silk Medical, Georgia
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Anna McKie
Surrogate & Support Manager, Surrogacy Australia
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Cindy Wasser
Hope Springs Fertility Law, Canada
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Dr Rahi Victory
Reproductive Endocrinologist, VRC, Canada
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Dr Shadi Khashaba
Reproductive Endocrinologist, IVF Australia
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Dr. Clifford Librach
Create Fertility Centre, Canada
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Dr. Vuk Jovanovic
Medical Director, Tree of Life Center, USA
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Ian Trevallion
Donor & Surrogacy Counsellor
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Jason Smith
President, Internat Fertility insurance
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Katrina Hale
Surrogacy Psychologist
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Nir Keren
Babies Come True, Canada
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Sam Everingham
Global Expert & Growing Families Director
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Sarah Bevan
Sarah Bevan Family Lawyers, Australia
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Sophie Ukleba
Head of Operations, New Life Global
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Steven Swanepoel
Territory Manager, Tammuz Family Aust & NZ
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Family Members Sharing Their Stories
Chantelle Henry
Canadian Surrogate
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Felicity Chew
NSW Surrogate
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Trudy Urquhart
Mum via Domestic Surrogacy
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If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us via email: Info@growingfamilies.org.