BRISBANE SEMINAR
Fulfilling Your Family Building Dream
Date: 19 February 2023
For an individual or couple considering parenthood, navigating the family-building process with donors and/or surrogates can be an overwhelming experience.
Add recent global changes, COVID and the Ukraine war, along with an increase in demand for fertility assisted babies. All has led to changes in family-building programs availability, costs, and risks.
Growing Families Brisbane seminar navigates the post-landscape, discussing newer countries such as Argentina and Georgia, and addressing the stressors on regulated destinations of the USA and Canada.
Now, it is more important than ever to be aware of potential risks and challenges, as well as how service providers are addressing these!
Join us for an interactive ‘Ask Me Anything’ seminar
Fulfill Your Family Building Dream!!
Sunday 19 February
11.00am to 6.00pm
Rydges Hotel, Fortitude Valley
What You Will Learn!
A global program of experts, doctors, surrogates, donors, and parents will openly discuss Donor IVF, Surrogacy and Egg Donor Options in Australia and abroad.
Our events are curated to provide the most up-to date information for those starting or on a family building surrogacy / donor journey.
The interactive seminar format provides advice, introductions and answers to questions, no matter where you are in your journey. We cover steps on how to first engagement with professional service providers to taking your baby home.
This event will guide you on:
- Surrogacy & Egg Donor Options by Country
- Medical & Donor Considerations
- Legal Issues
- Parent & Surrogate Panels
One-on-One Consultations:
Included with your ticket is the opportunity to arrange meetings with as many experts from the seminar as you like. Read the profiles on each of our speakers and email us to arrange your consultation meetings.
SPEAKERS
Leaders in their Fields Providing Information on Assisted Reproduction, Surrogacy,
Egg Donation and Legal Process

Dr. D. collaborated to develop IVF protocols that improve pregnancy rates and post-thaw extended culture. These ground-breaking findings have been published in internationally respected medical journals. Intended parents have travelled from 40+ countries in 1 year alone to seek his help!!
Dr. Said Daneshmand, San Diego Fertility Center. USA
Rich was part of the team in America that developed the model for surrogacy legislation and guidance ‘Assisted Reproductive Technology’. He has been published in the American Journal of Family Law and the Australian Family Law Journal.
Rich Vaughn, Attorney, International Fertility Law Group


Dr Uliana coordinated the ground-breaking first international IVF procedure in Ukraine. Dr. Uliana has over 12 years’ IVF experience, performed over 5000 cycles, treated patients from 36 countries and has clinics all over the world.
Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva, Medical Director, International Fertility Group, Georgia
Tamari initially ran programs solely in Georgia, recently opening a groundbreaking surrogacy and donor program in Argentina. Her specific interest is in inter-dependencies of global and national practices – how policies are written based on different regional contexts and translated into real medical solution to better health outcomes.
Tamari Kachlishvili, Global Surrogacy Consulting, Argentina


Shane recognises that infertility is not unique, with one in six couples experiencing trouble falling pregnant naturally, but his approach to each patient is. By tailoring a treatment plan with advanced technology such as IVF, or a more holistic and simple approach such as ovulation induction, Shane is committed to helping you have the best possible chance of parenthood.
Dr. Shane Higgins, Reproductive Endocrinologist, Queensland Fertility Group, Brisban
Fullfiling Your Family Building Dream
‘Ask Me Anything’ Brisbane Seminar
Date: Sunday 19 February 2023
Time: 11.00am to 6.00pm
Location: Rydges Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Tickets: $55 + gst
Ticket price includes; one-on-one consultation with expert providers post event, lunch, afternoon tea, and complimentary networking drinks and nibbles. The networking drinks provide an opportunity to freely talk with all expert speakers, donor, surrogates, recent parents and children.
Growing Families have 11 years of experience supporting over 3000 singles and couples engaging in international donor and surrogacy arrangements.

Who should attend this Seminar
Heterosexual Couples:
- Understand how age affects IVF success rates, when you should be considering a donor & what options are available at home and abroad
- Understand why the Ukraine is now a dangerous option for surrogacy
- Learn about embryo shipping options, costs and risks
Same Sex Couples:
- Understand the destinations that allow gay couples and singles to engage in surrogacy
- Learn about egg donor selection and what you should consider before making your decision
- Understand the legal & practical issues around travel, birth certificates and parentage
Singles:
- Understand the process of using donor eggs or sperm
- Understand which jurisdictions allow a single person to engage in surrogacy
- Connect with single parents who have been on this journey
Healthcare Professionals:
- With an interest in infertility or family building options
- Understand how you can support your patients
Agenda & Speakers 2023
11.10 – 11.30am
Overview
How to get the most from the day; Australian Rules & Regulations; Real vs quoted costs; hidden costs; problem solving.
Heather Anderson, Growing Families
11.30 – 12.10pm
Donor & Embryo Creation Options Locally And Abroad
We will discuss regulated process in Australia on how to make embryos and where. And if you are unable to engage locally how embryos can be exported for surrogacy.
Your donor options and processes, including family and friends as donors, IVF clinic donors, donor databases abroad, donor suitability, screening and more.
Dr. Said Daneshmand, San Diego Fertility Clinic, USA; Dr. Uliana Dorofeyeva, International Fertility Group, Georgia: Dr Shane Higgins, Queensland Fertility Group, Australia; Dr Clifford Librach, Create IVF Canada
12.10 – 12.40pm
Latest Trends In US & Canadian Surrogacy
An overview from US and Canada service providers on the latest processes relevant to their country.
This will include information on intended parent(s) (IP) suitability to their country, program costs, multiple embryo transfer and potential issues that affect surrogate match times.
Monica Buehler, Accel Conceptions; Lauri De Brito, The Fertility Agency, USA; Cindy Wasser, Canada; Richard Westoby; SDFC, USA
12.40 – 1.10pm
Changes In The Landscape – Europe & South America
An overview from Georgia and Argentina service providers on the latest processes relevant to their country.
This will include information on intended parent(s) (IP) suitability to their country, program costs, multiple embryo transfer and potential issues that affect surrogate match times.
Includes an update on the Ukraine situation.
Dr Tamari Kachlishvili, Surrogacy Consulting, Georgia; Argentina; Dr Uliana Dorofeyeva, International Fertility Group,
1.10 – 1.50pm
LUNCH
1.50 – 2.20pm
IVF Experts – Ask me Anything – Q&A Panel
IVF experts from around the globe field questions from the audience and moderators.
Moderator: Sam Everingham, Growing Families
Dr Shane Higgins, Queensland Fertility Group, Australia; Dr. Clifford Librach, Create IVF , Canada; Dr. Said Daneshmand, San Diego Fertility Clinic, USA
2.20 – 2.50pm
Surrogacy Experts – Ask me Anything – Q&A Panel
Surrogate experts from around the globe field questions from the audience and moderator.
Moderator: Richard Westoby SDFC
Lauri De Brito, The Fertility Agency, USA; Monica Buehler, Accel Conceptions ; Tamari Kachlishvili, Surrogacy Consulting; Georgia,
2.50 – 3.20pm
Legal Expert Panel
Surrogacy lawyers discussing the legal issues associated with surrogacy and egg donation in Australia and abroad.
Moderator: Richard Westoby SDFC
Sarah Bevan, Sarah Bevan Lawyers, Australia; Rich Vaughn, International Fertility Law Group, USA; Cindy Wasser, Hope Springs Fertility Law, Canada
3.20 – 3.50pm
AFTERNOON TEA
3.50- 5.20pm
The Reality ‘Ask Me Anything’ Panels
Hear from surrogates about their motivations, experience and preferences.
Hear from recent parents who engaged locally or abroad discuss their decision-making process, surrogate relationships, disclosure to family, cultural barriers, hurdles, costs and audience question time.
Hear from pre-teens born via egg donor or surrogacy open up about their lives, understanding where they came from and their sense of self.
Terry Crouch (dad via Australia) Nicole MacRae (mum via Greece) Lee & Michael Carretta (mum via Canada) Dax Manning (parent via NZ) Phil Macri (dad via USA) Kirsty-Lea Savage (QLD surrogate)
Elijah & Huxley Merrell Knowles (pre-teens via Tradit Surrogacy)
5.20 – 6.00pm
NETWORKING DRINKS
Enjoy drinks and nibbles while mingling with service providers, speakers and other intended parents on a similar journey to you.
Why You Should Attend Even If You Have 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 agencies, 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 and older children via surrogacy.
Date: Sunday 19 February 2023
Time: 11.00am to 6.00pm
Location: Rydges Hotel, Fortitude Valley
Tickets: $55 + gst
Ticket price includes; one-on-one consultation with expert providers post event, lunch, afternoon tea, and complimentary networking drinks and nibbles. The networking drinks provide an opportunity to freely talk with all expert speakers, donor, surrogates, recent parents and children.
Reviews
Thank you for a great event in Dublin, I enjoyed the day. The feedback is very positive from everyone I have spoken to
Anne
Dublin Conference 2022
I was very pleased with the extent of the advice, guidance and information I received
Fiona
Dublin Conference 2022
I enjoyed meeting with experts and parents
Marg
Dublin Conference 2022
Thank you for the avalanche of information and support
Josh
Dublin Conference 2022
Meet Our Expert Speakers

Dr Shane Higgins
IVF Specialist, QFG, Brisbane
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Narelle Dickinson
Clinical Psychologist (QLD)
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Richard Westoby
IP support manager, SDFC, USA
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Tamari Kachlishvili
Global Surrogacy Consulting, Argentina
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Family Members Sharing Their Stories

Dax Manning
Dad via altruistic surrogacy
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Elijah Merrell-Knowles
Pre-teen via surrogacy
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Huxley Merrell-Knowles
Pre-teen via surrogacy
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If you have any questions, feel free to get in touch with us via email: Info@growingfamilies.org.