A MESSAGE FROM Katie Hengehold's NYC Marathon Fundraising Page
Hi! Thank you for visiting my fundraising page.
Infertility is something near and dear to my heart.
I have struggled with infertility, and still do to this day. Having been extended an invitation to run the prestigious New York City Marathon on behalf of RESOLVE National Infertility Association is truly an honor. The fact that I can run in the world's largest marathon, while raising money and awareness for infertility is surreal. 1 in 6 women experience infertility, many which struggle silently. I am 1 of the 6; here is my story...
In April of 2020, I learned I was pregnant for the first time! I was so excited. I went in for the pregnancy confirmation bloodwork, and my doctor, set up "early" ultrasound so I could see the baby right then and there. It was surreal to hear the baby's heartbeat. Magic and Elation swept over me, I could not wait to share the ultrasound pictures with my husband!
Three weeks later, I went in for the second ultrasound. I anxiously awaited for the technician to give me more details about my growing baby. That moment did not come. After a few minutes, she told me she would be right back, as she needed to grab the doctor. Being pregnant for the first time, I did not think much of it. She returned with the doctor, and he gently told me that the baby no longer had a heartbeat. Shock and disbelief swept over me. I was surprised that the pregnancy; so new and so short could result in such grief, sadness and utter devastation.
A few months later I got pregnant again, only to miscarry before my initial confirmation of pregnancy blood test. This cycle continued. It seemed I could get pregnant, I just could not sustain the pregnancy.
At age 37, it was suggested I seek fertility assistance and was diagnosed with unexplainable infertility.
My husband and I were able to conceive our daughter through IUI with the help of a fertility clinic in Cincinnati. My pregnancy had a lot of serious complications that resulted in lasting PSTD that prevented me from trying to get pregnant again. After this pregnancy, I had to wait awhile until I was physically, mentally and emotionally ready.
When I felt confident and ready, we tried expanding our family. Month after month, treatment after treatment, we were not able to get pregnant. As a last resort, we tried IVF in the Fall of 2023. We got five eggs during retrieval, and only one embryo through the IVF process, but kept the positive attitude, "it only takes one". We anxiously awaited the call from the scheduler to schedule our embryo transfer, however the scheduler never called. Instead, the doctor called to let us know that our only embryo, did not mature, and therefore could not be transferred. The utter shock and devastation that we had experienced, during the miscarriages over the years came sweeping back. I felt cheated. My first pregnancy was riddled with so many unknowns and fears that I never got to enjoy all the joys of pregnancy. After doing all the right things, taking all the medications, and using every possible precaution, I felt cheated again. I knew this was our "Hail Mary" attempt at expanding our family, we were this close and it was over.
I was so angry at my body. It had failed me. So I began running. I needed a healthy outlet for my frustration and to gain the confidence back in my body. In February of 2024, I ran my first marathon in over 6 years. I never thought I would be able to run long distances again, and I ran my fastest marathon time ever. Shortly after finishing the marathon, I received an email to apply to run the New York City marathon on behalf of RESOLVE National Infertility Association. This was fate. Often times, I feel selfish talking about suffering infertility because I have a beautiful, happy and healthy child and there are so many others that our struggling to just have one child. I hope that by sharing my story this can be my way to help elevate infertility awareness and let people know they are not alone. My fertility journey may be over, but being an ambassador for RESOLVE who support families struggling with infertility is my way of not giving up.
I am truly honored to be raising money on behalf of RESOLVE. Your donation will help RESOLVE build a stronger community for
people facing infertility. By building a stronger community, together we will break through the barriers that prevent millions from building a family. You
will help support programs that increase access to medical care and family
building options for all who need them. Donating through this website is simple, fast and secure. It is also the most efficient way to support me in my participation in
the 2024 TCS New York City Marathon.
Many thanks for your support -- and don't forget to forward this
to anyone who you think might want to donate too!
Thank you for reading my story ! Be sure to stop back as I share my journey as I train for the NYC Marathon!
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