A couple who created their dream family with IVF are paying it forward – and are set to fund a stranger’s treatment.
Danielle Bartley-Mould, 41, and husband Antony Mould, 61, were thrilled when twins Ava and Frankie joined their family two years ago after two rounds of treatment.
They said they had to fork out £18,000 for their IVF because they weren’t eligible for NHS help.
So now the landlords have decided to help someone else try for a child – offering up £5,000 to a family who will be chosen at random.
Danielle, from Harrogate, North Yorks., who has been a foster mum to 28 children, said: “So many people want a family and can’t afford it.
“We know how hard it is. It’s a desperate situation and people re-mortgage their houses to pay for IVF, sometimes up to eleven times.
“It shouldn’t be like that but the NHS doesn’t have the resources.
“We are lucky. We have kids, and our IVF worked, so we didn’t go without, and our journey wasn’t too long.
“So many people aren’t lucky and are putting themselves in masses of debt. I just want to help someone else have a chance to experience the joy we have.
“And it’s a double benefit because I’m raising money for a fantastic charity as well.”
Antony and Danielle got together in early 2017 and started trying for a baby a year later.
After six months they realised they needed help to conceive and investigations revealed Danielle’s fallopian tubes had been harmed in a life-threatening car accident seven years ago, where she also suffered breaks to her back and neck.
They then paid around £18,000 for their treatment – including flights to Cyprus for their first attempt.
The couple weren’t eligible for help from the NHS because they both have sons from previous relationships.
Their first round of IVF in October 2018 was unsuccessful, but a second go in December worked, and the twins were born six weeks premature on November 22 2019.
Dannielle spent the last five weeks of pregnancy in a wheelchair and gave birth by C-section because of her injuries from the accident.
Her son from a previous relationship Ethan, now 14, helped out with his new siblings as she lost her right arm to sepsis while recovering from the accident.
Danielle said: “There are loads of reasons why people can’t get treatment on the NHS. I just want to help. It’s a lot of money to give, but we’ve thought about it for a year.
“My accident really changed my perspective. I look at pictures of the car and am grateful I came out of that.
“I count myself as extremely lucky – who would think I’d still be here to talk about it, let alone still have the most amazing opportunity to watch my children grow.
“Some amazing parents just can’t afford a family and it shouldn’t be like that. It would be amazing to help somebody, It’s a lovely thing to do and feels worth everything.
“My kids won’t go without because I’m a grafter and have been all my life, Ethan is the same.”
People can enter via the comments when they donate to her JustGiving page, which is raising money for the charity Make A Wish.
Each name would be entered once for every pound they donate to the charity.
The beneficiary of Danielle and Antony’s gift can be from anywhere in the world and the couple will pay the money to any clinic that offers IVF.
Danielle will pop the names into a generator on her birthday, October 29, and will send the money to the clinic of the winner’s choice.
The winner will be announced live at 2pm on Danielle’s Facebook page, Creating Dreams Making Memories.
She said: “I think what Make a Wish do is amazing. Your heart goes out to all those kids, whether they are raising money for books or life-saving treatment.”
JustGiving: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/creatingdreams
