New equipment which could help give women having IVF a better chance of having a baby is a step closer for the Aberdeen Fertility Centre - thanks to the generosity of a North-east couple.
After undergoing fertility treatment at the University of Aberdeen facility, John and Diane Buchan are the proud parents of Carmen (4) and John (3) - two children they thought they would never have.
Since their arrival the St Fergus couple have organised three charity nights to raise money for the Centre - as a thank you for their ‘miracle’ children and also to raise awareness to the problems of infertility.
Today the family will visit the Centre and hand over a cheque for £6,142 – bringing the total the Buchans have raised over the last three years to £25,217.
Diane turned to Aberdeen Fertility Centre for help after endometriosis - a painful condition suffered by around 2 million women in Britain - left her with fertility problems.
She said: “I wanted to raise money for the Aberdeen Fertility Centre and highlight the problems of infertility because there is not a day goes by when I don’t look at my kids and thank the Centre for what staff have done for John and I.”
Alison McTavish, Nurse Manager at the Aberdeen Fertility Centre, which is part of the University of Aberdeen’s Obstetrics and Gynaecology, said: “We are absolutely bowled over by the generosity of Diane and John and the family and friends who have supported their charity nights.
“Their incredible fundraising will go towards helping Aberdeen Fertility Centre buy a fantastic piece of equipment that will allow us to take pictures of developing embryos. The new equipment we are fundraising for will enable our embryologists to monitor embryos in even more detail, helping identify the most viable embryos for transfer to give the best chance of a pregnancy.”