WE ADVERTISED FOR A BABY!
Penny and Rob had almost given up–then their ad was answered
As they gaze adoringly at their seven-month-old son Oliver, proud parents Rob Cieslar and Penny Simmons couldn’t be happier. They also couldn’t be more thankful to donor Jenaya Rowe, who gave them the gift of an egg and made their dream come true.
“It still freaks me out that she would do this for us – for a couple she didn’t even know,” says Rob, 55. “It brings a tear to my eye, especially now that I’m holding Oliver in my arms.”
Adelaide couple Penny and Rob’s journey to starting a family was a long one. They met via a dating website in 2010 and when they finally came face to face, they clicked straight away. “I know it sounds weird and corny, but I knew within about 10 minutes that Rob was ‘the one’,” reveals Penny, 51.
Six months later, the couple started to try for a baby, but sadly they were unsuccessful. After turning to IVF and still
having no luck, they went on to look for an egg donor.
The first donor they had was a friend of a friend. They did one round of IVF with her eggs, but it didn’t work, and then she became sick and couldn’t continue. Later, the lovebirds joined a Facebook page for people looking for donor eggs but didn’t get much response. “It’s so hard to find a donor,” says Penny. “I felt like every door was shutting and that maybe it was just not meant to be.”
Helpwanted!
As a last resort, they placed an advertisement in the classifieds section of their local paper. “About three hours later, I got a call from one of their journalists saying they wanted to do a story on us,” tells Penny.
The ad and story caught the eye of Jenaya, who got in touch.
“She was such a breath of fresh air as soon as we met
her,” says Penny. “We knew she was serious about it as by the time we got to the car after that first meeting, Jenaya had already emailed me for the details of our clinic so she could send her preliminary blood work to them.”
For US-born travel blogger Jenaya, the decision to become an egg donor was not something she took lightly, but she was determined to help others.
“You hear stories about people who want kids and who would make wonderful parents but are struggling to have a child,” says the 35-year-old. “I think if I’m not using my eggs and it doesn’t take away from my ability to have my own child, then go for your life!”
Despite remaining in regular contact with Rob and Penny since Oliver was born last August, Jenaya would never want to overstep the mark when it comes to his upbringing. “I am in no way his mum,” she says. “How the relationship with him progresses is completely up to Rob and Penny.”
And the couple appreciate Jenaya’s sensitivity. “To me, it’s very important for Oliver, when he’s old enough, to understand where he came from,” says Rob. “Part of that is having a letter or Jenaya being available to visit.”
While in this instance, a simple ad has led to a happy ending, Jenaya has sound advice for anyone considering donating their eggs. She says, “You have to make sure you’re in the right headspace if you are going to do this – and be very sure that you’re willing to donate as a gift.”
You can see the reward of this gift on the faces of Penny and Rob, who adore their son. Penny smiles, “Jenaya has given us the family we wouldn’t have been able to have without her.”