Dealing with a pandemic and helping UK's first transgender parents: Shrewsbury fertility clinic boss looks back on whirlwind year

The psychotherapist, who is chief executive of the National Fertility Society, opened the NFS Hub in Shrewsbury as a not for profit agency aiming to offer women and same-sex couples the chance to seek affordable treatment so they can start families of their own.

But during the Covid-19 outbreak, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority – which regulates Britain’s fertility industry – ordered private and NHS clinics to stop treating patients who are in the middle of an IVF cycle by mid April.

All new treatments were also banned and more than 30 patients were put on hold at the Shrewsbury clinic, which offers treatments such as blood tests and scans.

Sandra, who also lives in Shrewsbury, said: "We were only able to do emergency cases but we did offer free counselling sessions by telephone and Skype.

"We are now back open. It was quite a few weeks ago and there are new safety measures.

"We've put up signage, do temperature checks, we've got hand sanitiser and staff are in PPE."

Although she had hoped to gain a licence for it to become an Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) fertility clinic – that involves directly inserting sperm into a woman's womb – those plans will have to be reassessed again next year because of the pandemic.

However, one way the clinic has helped to bring new life into the world is through its surrogacy service, which also launched last year and provides a platform for surrogates and intended parents to meet and match.

Hannah and Jake Graf were lucky enough to be introduced to their surrogate by Sandra who helped them throughout their journey to becoming Britain's first parents who are both transgender.

They have attracted national media attention and starred in a TV documentary after welcoming their first child, a baby girl named Millie, in April – during the height of the pandemic.

"I saw Jake and Hannah on Lorraine and I contacted them through Facebook asking if I could help," Sandra said.

"We have a few surrogates, they have to fill out an application form and we do background checks.

"Laura Warke, a lovely lady in northern Ireland, had been with us for a few weeks and was a first time surrogate.

"I introduced them and we all met up in London. Afterwards, I was in regular contact all the way through their journey."

The couple, from London, used an unknown sperm donor who matched Hannah's description and Jake's eggs which had been frozen several years ago.

"They were very lucky in finding a surrogate as quickly as they did," said Sandra, who co-founded the NFS which has been running since 2017.

"For it to work first time, everything fell into place.

"They were so nervous. At the start I was speaking to them every few days.

"I supported Laura too, making sure she was okay with travelling and everything else.

"Laura had the baby in northern Ireland and Jake and Hannah went over to be there.

"It's enabled them to create the family they wanted. To be on this journey with them has been amazing.

"They knew becoming parents was going to be difficult. They'd also had quite a lot of negativity, messages saying they shouldn't be parents.

"For me different families come in different forms. The priority is the child."

The couple have since both thanked Sandra and the team at the National Fertility Society.

Hannah said: "Jake and I were super lucky to have our amazing surrogate Laura carry Millie for us, but that wouldn't have been possible if it weren't for the National Fertility Society who brought us together and guided us through our journey."

In a message of thanks, Laura also said the team had been at the end of the phone anytime she needed them, which "provided reassurance during a daunting time".

Sandra, who opened the NFS Hub in Yeomanry Road, Battlefield, with co-founder Joanne Carwardine, says going through an agency can ensure women and couples are not taken advantage of by potential surrogates who may try to charge large amounts of money in return for carrying a baby.

She added: "To come through an agency like us, everyone knows where they stand.

"There are people who want a lot of money for being a surrogate and you don't know who they are.

"We've had two babies born so far since setting up the surrogacy branch, with another due soon and one due next year."

For more information visit www.nationalfertilitysociety.co.uk