A brand new landmark series ‘You, Me and Surrogacy’ will air on Virgin Media One tonight, March 16th at 10pm.
This three-part observational documentary series gives a 360 view of surrogacy and the process from an Irish perspective, following two Irish couples realising the dream of completing their families through surrogacy as well as other Irish families dealing with the legal aftermath.
With unprecedented access to intending Irish parents, international clinics, surrogate mothers, as well as legal practitioners this series will give viewers a never-before-seen insight into the emotional, legal and ethical web of surrogacy.
Cathy & Keith
In episode One, we meet Cathy and Keith from Dunlavin, County Wicklow. The couple have been struggling to start a family for the last six years.
They began their surrogacy journey following the death of their unborn child (Helen) and a medical emergency that left Cathy unable to carry her own child to full term.
Although their finances are tight, they are determined to find the funds for surrogacy any way they can, even if it means they may have to remortgage their house.
After weeks of research they decide that Ukraine will be the most suitable country for them to start the surrogacy process and we follow them as they travel to create their own embryos for implantation and meet their Ukranian surrogate for the first time.
Brendan & Gavin
We also meet Brendan and Gavin from Dublin who are Dad’s to one-year old Theo who was born via US based gestational surrogate, Noël.
Brendan and Gavin want nothing more than for Theo to have a sibling and Noël has agreed to embark on a second surrogacy journey with them. Noël (who is married with three children of her own) is a pharmacist from Denver, Colorado.
She gives the audience a unique insight into the journey of a surrogate (and the preparations she must make with her body) to undergo the surrogacy process.
Nadia & George
Nadia and George from Drogheda also had a long and complicated emotional journey to surrogacy.
At only 29 years old, Nadia was diagnosed with Cancer and advised to begin the IVF process with her then boyfriend (George) as treatment would likely affect her fertility.
In the midst of this trauma the couple created their own embryos not knowing what the potential outcome might be in the future. And years later, these embryos became their only way to create their own biological child and the option of surrogacy became a reality.
They sourced an American surrogacy clinic and a little over a year later their American surrogate Tiffany gave birth to their twin boys, Zach & Theo.
Now, two years old the family are preparing for a long-awaited reunion with their surrogate Tiffany.
John, Gerard & their children
John, Gerard and their children from Dublin who were the first same sex couple in Ireland to use a US surrogate, eighteen years ago.
Back in 2001 the couple decided to start a family with Californian surrogate Anita who gave birth to their triplets; Connie, Tom and Max. John and Gerard give us a rare insight of what it was like for a same sex couple bringing up three children in Ireland at that time.
The twins will turn eighteen this year and they will finally be entitled to Irish passports for the first time, a very momentous moment for all the family.
Episode One of the all new ‘You, Me and Surrogacy’ airs on Virgin Media One tonight, Monday, 16th March at 10pm.
