Leading Fertility & Pregnancy Expert
Leading fertility and pregnancy expert Zita West is a practising midwife, acupuncturist, nutritional advisor and bestselling author with over 30 years' experience. She has helped thousands of women conceive, many as a last resort. Her pioneering approach to fertility, combining the natural with the medical, has cemented Zita as the recognised leading fertility expert in Europe. Zita is the go to fertility consultant to celebrities and royals alike: “Zita is often referred to as a fertility and pregnancy guru…that’s exactly what she is.​" Kate Winslet.

Saturday 16th, 12:30pm - Optimising Your Fertility: Lifestyle & Nutrition

Clinical Director at the Lister Fertility Clinic
James Nicopoullos, Clinical Director at the Lister Fertility Clinic, is a Consultant Gynaecologist & Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine & Surgery. He has a wide range of experience with IVF and subfertility but also welcomes those patients that suffer from reoccurring miscarriages, menstrual disorders or those approaching or going through menopause. James is a talented physician and an accredited laparoscopic and hysteroscopic surgeon, offering clients a one-stop shop for diagnosis and treatment.

Saturday 16th, 10:30am - IVF Demystified

NHS Consultant with a personal Chair in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery
Professor Adam Balen is an NHS consultant at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, UK, with a personal Chair in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery. He is clinical lead of a large multidisciplinary reproductive medicine service, including paediatric & adolescent gynaecology. He has been interested in PCOS for many years and has been a member of the international consensus groups on its definition and management including the Global PCOS Guideline Group, published in 2018 and 2023. He is a member of the WHO Guideline Development Group on infertility (completed 2025) and was responsible for formulating the recent FIGO definition of disorders of ovulation (2022). Amongst numerous national and international roles over the last 30 years, Adam is a past Chair of the British Fertility Society and the ESHRE SIG for Reproductive Medicine. He has had numerous roles for the RCOG, in a range of committees and  sat on Council for 6 years; he is the only person to have delivered 3 eponymous prize lectures and was awarded the RCOG Academic Prize in 2025. In 2025 he is also delivering the BFS Howard Jacobs Prize lecture and the BSGE Sir Alec Turnbull Prize Lecture. Adam co-founded the British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Gynaecology (BritSPAG) and teaches regularly on adolescent reproductive health. He founded the Fertility Education Initiative to improve education in schools on reproductive health. Adam has authored >280 papers (H index 83, >48,000 citations) and 16 books, including Infertility in Practice (5th edition 2022) and The Fertility Book - Your definitive guide to achieving a healthy pregnancy (2021), co-authored with his wife Grace Dugdale for people trying to conceive.

Sunday 17th, 12:30pm - PCOS and Fertility - latest research and guidance

Consultant Gynaecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at Guy’s Hospital
Dr Julia Kopeika is a Consultant Gynaecologist and Subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, and the Clinical Lead of the Assisted Conception Unit at Guy’s Hospital. She also leads one of the UK’s largest fertility preservation services, supporting patients seeking both medical and non-medical fertility preservation. Known for combining empathy with scientific rigour, Dr Kopeika provides holistic, evidence-based care focused on treatments that truly benefit patients. She is also actively involved in education and research, particularly in the field of reproductive medicine.

Sunday 17th, 2:30pm - Age & Fertility

Wes Johnson-Ellis is the co-founder of My Surrogacy Journey, a fully inclusive, not-for-profit global surrogacy organisation created to offer tailored support for all family types. As a dad through surrogacy, Wes brings a unique blend of personal experience and strategic insight to his work, helping to shape more ethical, accessible, and informed pathways to parenthood. Alongside his husband Michael, he founded TwoDadsUK, a platform that continues inspiring and educating others on the modern family-building journey. Passionate about progress, Wes advocates for meaningful change across fertility, law, and family-building – Setting the standard for surrogacy, globally.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 11.15am -Alternative Routes to Parenthood: Donor Conception, Surrogacy, and Adoption

Tia is an infertility blogger & advocate, sharing her own raw unfiltered fertility journey. After trying to conceive for 18 months at the age of 29, Tia was diagnosed with Premature Ovarian Insufficiency. She underwent three failed rounds of privately funded IVF in the UK between 2019 - 2020. Due to ovarian failure, her journey to parenthood with her own eggs/genetics had come to an end, so her and her husband chose to pursue their path to parenthood via egg donor conception. In 2021 Tia went through her first round of egg donor IVF in Greece, which resulted in the birth of twins in 2022, after 4 years of infertility. Due to health complications which resulted in a total hysterectomy, unfortunately & not by choice put an end to Tia’s fertility journey. Through her platform, Tia highlights the trials and tribulations around premature ovarian insufficiency, infertility, IVF, donor conception & menopause, in the hope to break the stigma around these topics and to hopefully help others feel less alone, seen and supported.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 11.15am -Alternative Routes to Parenthood: Donor Conception, Surrogacy, and Adoption

12 years ago, I was diagnosed with male factor infertility. I was diagnosed late as the consultant had failed to test me during routine testing for my wife who we knew had PCOS. My diagnosed was a shock and apart from the standard advice e.g., change your diet, avoid alcohol and warm showers I was given no support. This caused quite a significant breakdown over 2-3 years. During this 2-3 year period my wife and I experience a miscarriage and several failed ICSI cycles. All this resulted in me being depressed and suicidal, because I felt I was the cause of what we were experiencing. With the love and support of my wife I was able to engage in counselling, which saved my life. Once I started to feel better mentally, I turned my attention to my lifestyle. I realised that I was the only one that could help me, so I used my Sports Studies degree and love for exercise to create a programme to try and improve my health to optimise my fertility. After 18 month of hard work and sticking to the plan my wife fell pregnant with my son Sebastian. He was born in 2016. After a short period, we decided we wanted to try for another child. I adjusted the programme I had followed previously slightly and reimplemented it. In 2020 my daughter Enya was born, once again through ICSI treatment. But this time a lot quicker and less heartache. Now I help other men facing infertility, physically as The Male Fertility PT and mentally through The Male Fertility Podcast.

Instagram Handle: @themalefertilitypt

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 12:45pm -IVF Experiences - Personal Stories

Bex Gunn and Laura Buckingham are two passionate women, brought together by baby loss and a common desire to help others. Having been through miscarriage and pregnancy loss themselves, they know how devastating the experience is, and how isolated and lonely it can make you feel. Within minutes of meeting each other, it was clear that they had the same passions and vision for supporting, educating and empowering people going through baby loss, as well as opening the conversations and smashing taboos within society. They joined forces to form The Worst Girl Gang Ever podcast in July 2020 which has been well-received and evolving ever since. They wanted to change the way that support looks and have gone on to curate online support courses and run a membership platform for the baby loss community. In 2022 their book was published by Harper Collins and it instantly became a chart topping best seller.

Instagram Hande: @the_worstgirlgang_ever

Wellbeing Workshop

Sunday 18th, 2:15pm -The Power of Journaling with TWGGE - Writing for Mindset and Baby Loss

Notafictionalmum is passionate about opening up much needed, topical conversations. These include honest, truthful insights about infertility and the world of treatment and the UK care system by way of sharing her own teenage experience of foster care and later becoming a mother by way of adoption. Notafictionalmum writes to ensure no mother is left behind and difficult conversations are hacked away at in hope of a more open and aware society. Notafictionalmum survived years of trying to become pregnant both naturally and via treatment. She has lived the pain of longing and the joy of forever since becoming a mum through the power of adoption in 2019. NFM aims to reperesnt the many for whom treament doesn't work and share how love really can make a family.

Instagram Handle: @notafictionalmum

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 11.15am -Alternative Routes to Parenthood: Donor Conception, Surrogacy, and Adoption

Seetal Savla is a freelance writer, fertility patient advocate and panellist/speaker. Having experienced multiple failed IVFs, donor egg IVFs and losses before becoming mum to a daughter, she is passionate about sharing her story to support others on a similar journey and reduce the stigma surrounding fertility issues and loss in South Asian communities. Seetal has been proudly hosting expert seminars at The Fertility Show for several years and is looking forward to learning from this year's speakers, as well as taking part in a panel discussion on the Let's all Talk Fertility Stage. You can find Seetal on Instagram (@SavlaFaire).

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 12:45pm -IVF Experiences - Personal Stories

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 12:45pm -IVF Experiences - Personal Stories

Laura Bridgens was conceived via anonymous donor sperm in the 1980s and is the founder of Donor Conceived UK a new peer-led charitable organisation dedicated to centring the rights of and enabling the best possible outcomes for donor conceived people. Laura is also a member of PROGAR a UK multi-agency, multi-disciplinary group whose focus is on the lifespan impact of donor conception and surrogacy, and is the chair of the Donor Conceived Register Registrants Panel.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 11.15am - Voices of Donor Conception

I am a mum to three children aged 14, 12 and 9. I am married to Alex and we live near Birmingham. I am a teacher and lead a provision for students struggling to attend mainstream. In 2009, we experienced the loss of our first baby. We were very lucky to go on and have our three children. In 2015, my sister was struggling to conceive and the thought entered my head, if I could help her I would. She did end up falling pregnant but the thought never left me.  In 2016, I found an organisation called Altrui, who match donors with recipients. I was matched with a couple and it moved quite quickly. I donated in 2017 and their daughter was born that year, they then went on to have twin girls in 2020. I was so proud and overjoyed but as I was 36 that year, I couldn't donate anonymously again. In 2018, I joined an organisation called Surrogacy UK to become a known egg donor. In 2020, I gave birth to my first surrogate baby and I our friends surrogate but also their known egg donor. I then gave birth to my second surrogate baby in 2023 through host surrogacy. Becoming part of egg donation and surrogacy has utterly changed my life.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 11.15am - Voices of Donor Conception 

Having been diagnosed with Azoospermia in 2018, Shaun experienced not just the heartache of infertility, but the shame and secrecy attached to being an infertile man. Shaun found himself navigating this trauma alone, with no conversation or support networks in place for men at the time he needed it. Now the proud father to twins conceived via the use of donor sperm, Shaun shares his story via Instagram (@Knackered_Knackers) to provide that voice that he so desperately needed when experiencing infertility. To further expand the support he can provide other men, Shaun trained as a Transformational Coach. Using the tools and strategies of coaching, as well as his personal lived experience, Shaun helps men navigate the emotion, pain and confusion of a fertility struggle – something that permeates into every aspect of life.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 3:45pm - Coffee with My Younger Self: A Fertility Retrospective

Kreena Dhiman is an award-winning Podcaster, Writer and Influencer committed to changing the narrative when it comes to routes to Motherhood particularly within the South Asian community. Once told she was infertile and unable to carry a pregnancy, Kreena is now a proud Mum to four wonderful children thanks to the gifts of surrogacy and egg donation. She has a daughter aged four who shares her genetics, and triplet sons aged 2 conceived using donor conception. Kreena is an Indian woman who shattered many glass ceilings and stigmas to achieve her dream of becoming a Mother.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 11.15am - Voices of Donor Conception

Katie Rollings is the Founder & CEO of Fertility Action, a national charity led by a passionate team of advocates and medical professionals.  Having experienced first-hand the pain and heartbreaking challenges of infertility and IVF, Katie remains deeply committed to transforming fertility education, mental health support, and equal access to treatment - working to end the postcode lottery in fertility care. Alongside this, she co-founded Fertility Access UK, campaigning in Parliament for nationwide IVF access, reduced eligibility stipulations and improved resources and support within primary care - specifically surrounding male fertility testing and diagnosis. Fuelled by compassion and unwavering determination, Katie’s mission is to create a more inclusive and supportive fertility journey, where wellbeing and fertility education is prioritised, and every patient’s voice truly matters.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 12:45pm -IVF Experiences - Personal Stories

Chelsea is a wife, dog mum, and proud mama to her IVF miracle daughter. She is a content creator who openly shares her journey through maternal mental health recovery and infertility on her Instagram page, @thehowardsfamilylife. Known for her honesty and authentic content, Chelsea is passionate about creating a safe space for women and their families. She is also an apprentice social worker, committed to making a meaningful impact in the lives of others. In her free time, Chelsea enjoys walking her dog and finds peace and joy by the sea - her happy place.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 12:45pm -IVF Experiences - Personal Stories

Tracey Sainsbury – Fertility Counsellor & Expert in Reproductive Wellbeing

Tracey Sainsbury is an experienced fertility counsellor, educator, and advocate specialising in reproductive wellbeing. Tracey has a deep commitment to supporting individuals and couples navigating the complexities of infertility, assisted conception, and family building, Tracey provides compassionate, evidence-based counselling tailored to the emotional and psychological challenges of fertility treatment. With extensive experience in fertility clinics and private practice, Tracey is known for her empathetic, practical approach to fertility support, addressing grief, loss, and the emotional impact of infertility while empowering clients with coping strategies. She has contributed significantly to fertility education, training healthcare professionals, and raising awareness about the psychological aspects of infertility and donor conception. A respected voice in the field, Tracey has written widely on fertility and mental health, speaks regularly at conferences, and collaborated with leading organisations to improve patient support services. She remains dedicated to breaking the stigma surrounding fertility struggles and advocating for comprehensive emotional care within reproductive health.

Wellbeing Workshop

Saturday 17th, 10.30am - Practical Strategies for Self-Compassion and Managing Your Energy with IVF Counsellor Tracey Sainsbury

Charlie is Director of charity MRKH Connect which was founded in 2014 to connect those with MRKH (Mayer Rokitansky Küster Hauser) syndrome together and raise awareness of the condition. The condition, which affects 1 in 5000 female births affects reproductive development, leads to the absence or underdevelopment of the uterus, cervix and vagina. Diagnosed with the condition herself at 17, she has navigated her infertility journey from a young age whilst learning and advocating for more information and resources for all.  Having explored options to have children, it was not to be and Charlie now openly shares her experiences of childlessness to the MRKH community and beyond to raise awareness of the validity of such paths in a society that is typically so children focused. 

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 2:15pm - Living Childless Not by Choice - Navigating Life and Finding Fulfillment

Sarah Lawrence is a qualified trauma-informed counsellor, specialising in working with the grief and trauma of childlessness under her business name After the Storm. She designs, and delivers workshops and retreats especially for those that have been unable to have the children they wanted under the business name Sacred Woman. She also facilitates Gateway Women Reignite weekends as well as being a co-founder of The Full Stop, a podcast and online community specifically for the childless. She is childless because of Endometriosis and Adenomyosis, which resulted in a hysterectomy at 42. She lives in Kent with her husband and her two cats.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 2:15pm - Living Childless Not by Choice - Navigating Life and Finding Fulfillment

We have had 8 rounds of fertility treatments, which I openly share this through my social media platforms (3 ovulation inductions, 2 IUI's and 3 rounds of IVF ICSI). The first was a loss of pregnancy at 5.5 weeks, the 2nd, 3rd and 4th were failed treatment cycles and the 5th resulted in pregnancy that we sadly had to terminate for medical reasons (TFMR) at 13.5 weeks due to our baby girl, Willow, being diagnosed with Edwards Syndrome and a huge Cystic Hygroma on her head. We have since undergone 3 rounds of IVF, 2 of which resulted in no blastocyst embryos and the most recent ending in 2 blastocyst embryos, of which one came back PGT-A genetically normal. As we were preparing for our frozen embryo transfer (which was supposed to be at the end of March 2022) we had a spontaneous positive pregnancy test which thankfully resulted in a healthy full term pregnancy and our first living child. We are now preparing for our Frozen Embryo Transfer in the hope to bring home another health living sibling in 2024.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 3:45pm - Coffee with My Younger Self: A Fertility Retrospective

BANT Registered Nutritional Therapist and Founder of The Fertility Nutrition Centre
Sandra Greenbank is a BANT Registered Nutritional Therapist and Founder of The Fertility Nutrition Centre with 15 years of experience in supporting those looking to improve their fertility naturally. She has developed an in-depth post-graduate training programme for nutritionists wishing to deepen their knowledge in fertility and pregnancy-specific targeted dietary and lifestyle strategies to improve outcomes. Sandra has trained 100+ nutritional therapists in her method to date, and is passionate about educating both professionals and the public about the science behind root-cause solutions to fertility problems. https://fertilitynutritioncentre.org

Wellbeing Workshop

Saturday 17th, 12:30pm -Optimising Fertility with Nutrition with Sandra Greenbank

Amber Izzo is an infertility blogger, campaigner and advocate. After being told the only way she could get pregnant was via IVF in 2018 after having been trying to conceive for 3.5 years, tubal removal surgery, and male factor infertility, she had two failed private fresh cycles of IVF before she launched the Fight For IVF Campaign during Fertility Week 2020. Living in an area where NHS funded IVF wasn’t available, Amber campaigned for equal access to NHS funded treatment which resulted in the reinstatement of IVF in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough in 2021. Her third fresh cycle in 2022 finally resulted in a successful pregnancy and she is now, after 7 years of trying, an IVF Mum to a baby boy. She has since launched the Fertility Access campaign in partnership with the charity Fertility Action, working to standardise access to NHS funded IVF, and improve education, support and resource for male fertility at primary and secondary care level. She is currently preparing for her final embryo transfer in the hopes for a sibling for her son, which will be the end of her 10+ year fertility journey.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 12:45pm -IVF Experiences - Personal Stories

From the deepest darkest despair, Matt Dearsley and Liam Preston, managed to find a way of challenging the grief of their children dying to provide the support that was missing for them during their losses. Across four seasons of the Factory Originals award-winning podcast "Dad Still Standing", the two dads discuss all of the issues that anyone who experiences baby loss can face. From the day it happens to returning to work, from the differences between mums and dads, to pregnancy after loss. The dads have created a toolkit for families surviving loss in a practical, humorous, and accessible way. Initially created to provide a space for dads to hear other dads, the podcast has gained a huge following from mums also wanting to understand what their partners are thinking. This unique and much needed podcast was recognised at the British Podcast Awards in 2023, winning the Best Parenting Podcast category.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 3:00pm -The Male Experience - Real Stories

Freya Lyon, a mum of two raising donor conceived daughters with her wife, and also a daughter of queer parents who used a sperm donor to conceive her. Freya speaks online about being a second generation queer parent, navigating the world of half-siblings and genetic relatives, and how love does not require DNA.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 1:30pm -
LGBTQ+ & Solo Motherhood - Perspectives on Parenthood

Georgie Fenton
@Solo_mummy_donor_conceived on Instagram. Solo mum to her toddler daughter who was conceived through double donors (egg donor and sperm donor) after six rounds of IVF. Georgie has helped mentor individuals through IVF and is on a university end user panel which helps the training of the next generation of midwives. She has appeared on Sky and ITV news and has taken part in quite a few research groups helping to better quantify various aspects of fertility. Georgie is also a Land Surveyor and previously had a career in the sports industry. 

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 1:30pm -
LGBTQ+ & Solo Motherhood - Perspectives on Parenthood

Annabel is a content creator and co-host of the podcast ‘Am I Ovary Acting?’. Reluctant to feel like fertility struggles should be a secret (and bored of people asking when she was having a baby), Annabel speaks openly about her experiences on social media (@annabelgurnett) in the hope of normalising the complex emotions and situations surrounding infertility. Now into seven years of trying to conceive, Annabel has had two rounds of IVF ICSI - the first of which was cancelled following egg collection - and two unsuccessful frozen embryo transfers. She is now preparing for her third IVF cycle.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 12:45pm -IVF Experiences - Personal Stories

Michael Johnson-Ellis is the co-founder of My Surrogacy Journey, a fully inclusive, not-for-profit global surrogacy organisation supporting all family types through the emotional, practical, and legal aspects of surrogacy. Alongside his husband Wes, Michael also founded TwoDadsUK, sharing their personal journey to parenthood and raising awareness of ethical surrogacy. A passionate advocate, speaker, and award-winning campaigner, Michael is dedicated to setting the standard for intended parents, surrogates, and professionals alike.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 1:30pm -
LGBTQ+ & Solo Motherhood - Perspectives on Parenthood

Alice’s two-year fertility journey included a fibroid removal operation, six rounds of clomid, four rounds of injectable ovulation inductions and then IVF treatment, which finally resulted in two of her children. Alice now works to help others who are experiencing a struggle with their fertility, and is on a mission to support and empower people during one of the hardest experiences you can imagine.

Wellbeing Workshop

Saturday 17th, 1:30pm - Waiting Well with Alice Rose - Tools to Ease the Emotional Load

Barbara Scott is Chair of The Association of Reproductive Reflexologists, founder of Seren Natural Fertility, and author of Reflexology for Fertility. Awarded ‘Complementary Therapist of the Year’ in 2017, she also received the Innovation in Reflexology Award in 2019. Barbara lectures internationally on her integrative approach to fertility and has spoken at Fertility Shows and Fertility Fest. Alongside her clinical work, she trains practitioners worldwide. Her focus is on a patient-centred, integrative model for reproductive healthcare. She is currently undertaking a PhD to explore reflexology’s role in supporting those experiencing fertility challenges, aiming to broaden access through evidence-based research.

Wellbeing Workshop

Saturday 17th, 3:00pm -Reflexology for Fertility with Barbara Scott

Magda is a homeopath and fertility coach.  With over 15 years of experience, she specialises in fertility and hormonal health.  Homeopathy helped her to overcome secondary infertility in the form of recurring miscarriages.  Having experienced the emotional strain of infertility, Magda was interested in the body-mind connection. After completing her homeopathy degree, Magda studied NLP coaching, EFT, Hypnosis and RTT.  She now runs an online business, Fertile Mind Body,  helping women all over the world to overcome fertility challenges & find their way to motherhood.

Wellbeing Workshop

Saturday 17th, 4:30pm -Finding Calm: Mindfulness for Fertility Wind Down

In her late teens, Liberty set off to travel the world as a model, however by the age of thirty she was diagnosed with the debilitating autoimmune disease Lupus. Through implementing functional medicine practices, she successfully reversed this incurable disease and is now marker free. Her personal health journey served as the catalyst to pursue a career change and go to study at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition, leading her to become a certified nutrition coach. As well as private international coaching on fertility, menopause, autoimmune and anxiety, Liberty regularly speaks publicly for companies at wellbeing events and has contributed to publications such as Newsweek, Platinum magazine and Natural Health.

Wellbeing Workshop

Sunday 18th, 10.30am -360° Fertility with Liberty Mills - Preparing Mind & Body for Conception

David Ireland is the founder of Fertility4Men, a pioneering platform supporting men in taking charge of their reproductive health. After experiencing unexplained infertility himself, David created the platform in 2019 to provide the expert advice, tools, and support he once lacked. As a qualified executive coach, he blends personal experience with professional insight to empower men globally. Committed to breaking the silence around male fertility, he recently launched the free "5-Day Fertility Kickstart Challenge." David’s mission is to end stigma, spark conversation, and ensure men have the knowledge and confidence to improve their fertility and overall health.
@fertility4men | www.fertility4men.com

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 3:00pm -The Male Experience - Real Stories

Pilar’s personal experience with fertility challenges and managing stress and wellbeing inspired her to become a Nutritional Therapist and a Certified Functional Medicine Practitioner. She focused on complex fertility cases, and after spending more than ten years helping hundreds of people start their families, she co-founded Conceivio, a digital platform designed to provide universally accessible and affordable support  for everyone wanting to create the family they dream of.

Wellbeing Workshop

Sunday 18th, 3:30pm - Relaxation and Fertility

Vanessa Haye is a Ghanaian-British writer and speaker with a focus on Black women’s health. Her articles and personal story have been featured in The New York Times, Grazia, Refinery29, and Healthline. A recent graduate of the HarperCollins Author Academy, she is currently writing a book covering her experiences with infertility and baby loss. Vanessa lives in South-East London with her husband and their two sons, whom she lovingly refers to as her “rainbow babies.” She is currently working on projects that explore the intersection of health and well-being, identity, and systemic equity, by creating inclusive spaces that support people through every stage of their reproductive journeys.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 3:45pm - Coffee with My Younger Self: A Fertility Retrospective

Shaun Thomas is the Founder & CEO of The Surrogacy Father and one of the UK and Europe’s leading independent international surrogacy consultants. A proud dad of three via surrogacy, Shaun combines professional healthcare expertise with personal experience to guide intended parents through one of life’s most meaningful journeys. As a senior clinical pharmacist, Shaun brings a strong clinical foundation to his work—holding a Master’s degree and two postgraduate qualifications, having studied at the University of Brighton, University College London (UCL), and King’s College London (KCL). His deep understanding of medical systems, patient advocacy, and international healthcare adds a rare level of insight and reassurance to his surrogacy consultancy. Shaun and his partner Paul began their own surrogacy journey in 2021, eventually welcoming three children through surrogacy in Colombia. Along the way, they encountered the challenges, confusion, and emotional toll many intended parents face—and from that experience, The Surrogacy Father was born. Today, The Surrogacy Father supports individuals, couples, and LGBTQ+ families across the UK and Europe with clear, ethical, and personalised guidance through international surrogacy and fertility options. Shaun’s mission is simple: to give intended parents the clarity, confidence, and support they need to make informed, empowered decisions—without pressure or hidden agendas.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Sunday 18th, 3:00pm -The Male Experience - Real Stories

Aisha spent ten years trying to conceive after a very late diagnosis of stage four endometriosis revealed the primary cause of her ongoing fertility issues. During this period, she had over 11 unsuccessful IVF cycles and four miscarriages before deciding to leave the process without a baby. When the outcome didn't go the way she planned, Aisha became a certified Coach, and founded @mindbodyrevival_coach she is incredibly vocal about reproductive health and she advocates, writes and speaks about her journey of endometriosis, infertility, miscarriage and life after infertility without children. She's created a community hub via Instagram so those without a baby have somewhere to connect and share their stories.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 2:15pm - Living Childless Not by Choice - Navigating Life and Finding Fulfillment

Zara went through IVF after being told endometriosis had made it very unlikely she would conceive naturally. The first round resulted in her son, but also in severe OHSS and many other complications. Her next transfer resulted in her son Jesse who she sadly lost to a TFMR. 3 further losses and another cycle of IVF and her daughter was born. Zara is very passionate about changing the narrative around termination for medical reasons and supporting others going through baby loss as well as offering a hand to hold to those going through infertility.

Let’s all Talk Fertility Lounge

Saturday 17th, 3:45pm - Coffee with My Younger Self: A Fertility Retrospective

Sophie Sulehria is a presenter, podcaster and host for The Fertility Show. She is also a fertility patient and has documented her experience for the BBC, and across various platforms and articles. Sophie is proud to be hosting the Let’s all Talk Fertility Stage again this year, joined by our wonderful ambassadors and patient advocates. Sophie says; “it’s the real life experiences from our wonderful TTC community that will make you feel less alone, and more empowered. I urge you to attend these conversations and absorb their wisdom.”

Jessica Hepburn is an award-winning author and adventure activist who has become one of the UK’s leading voices on fertility and family, as well as endurance sport (even though she is the most unlikely athlete and doesn’t have children!). She is the first woman in the world to achieve the Sea, Street, Summit Challenge - swim the English Channel, run the London Marathon and summit Mount Everest - and has become a pioneer in inspiring people to live big and bravely when life doesn’t go to plan, and championing the benefits of going on adventures to improve your physical and mental health. She is the author of three books exploring her fertility adventures - The Pursuit of Motherhood / 21 Miles and her brand new book out March 2024 Save Me from the Waves. - www.jessicahepburn.com

Seetal Savla (@SavlaFaire) is freelance writer and fertility patient advocate. Having experienced multiple failed IVFs and losses before becoming mum to a daughter, she is passionate about sharing her story to support others on a similar journey and reduce the stigma surrounding fertility issues in South Asian communities.

Anya has over fifteen years of experience within the Fertility sector including seven overseeing patient support at the London Women’s clinic Harley Street and previously headed up the “Fertility in the workplace” initiative for the Fertility Network UK She is often in the media as a champion for the patient perspective on facing Infertility and is currently busy lobbying MPs and speaking in Parliament regarding Fair provision of IVF for all. She is also a local councillor for Hoxton East and Shoreditch, and Deputy speaker for Hackney. Anya is also is a mum of two children, which she had via IVF, plus has one adopted son also.