This is Infertility is a bi-weekly podcast where we fuse narrative storytelling with experience and science to give you a new perspective on what it’s really like to go through a family building journey. Each episode dives into the emotional, physical, and financial burdens carried by those who experience infertility on their path to parenthood. Be it IVF, IUI, egg freezing, surrogacy, adoption, etc., the path is never the same and it can be long, painful, and lonely. It’s our mission to give those struggling a platform to be heard, a community connection, and an opportunity to raise awareness of the 1 in 8 who, for many reasons, struggle with infertility.
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This is Infertility

Bonus Episode 7: Fertility Preservation for Cancer Patients: Focusing on Survival and Your Life After Cancer

October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, which means today’s bonus episode is all about fertility preservation for cancer, otherwise known as oncofertility. Receiving a cancer diagnosis can turn your world upside down but understanding your fertility options from day one can make all the difference. Thanks to earlier detection and improved treatments, survival rates among cancer patients have increased steadily, and as a result, focus has shifted from immediate treatment to life after cancer too, including your future fertility.

This episode comes from a recent webinar featuring Meghan Curci, Progyny Patient Care Advocate, Jaime Knopman, M.D., Director of Fertility Preservation at CCRM New York and part of Progyny’s Provider Network; Emily Rich, VP of Strategic Planning and Operations at UJA and Progyny member; Joyce Reinecke, J.D., Executive Director at Alliance for Fertility Preservation.

Host: Meghan Curci, Progyny Patient Care Advocate

Experts:  Jaime Knopman, M.D., CCRM New York,  Emily Rich, Progyny member, Joyce Reinecke, Alliance for Fertility Preservation.

For more episodes of This is Infertility on Oncofertility:

For more information visit Progyny’s Podcast page and Progyny’s Education page for more resources.

Be sure to follow us on Instagram, @ThisisInfertilityPodcast and use the #ThisisInfertility.

Have a question, comment, or want to share your story? Email us at thisisinfertility@progyny.com.

Podcast-Headshot-Meghan-Curci

Host

Meghan Curci
MPH, Patient Care Advocate at Progyny

Meghan Curci, MPH, is a Patient Care Advocate at Progyny, where she assists members throughout their fertility journey. She has 7 years of experience with oncofertility and is the Program Manager for the Alliance for Fertility Preservation where she manages a number of programs, including their tool Fertility Scout, which helps patients locate fertility clinics who offer fertility preservation service. Previously, she worked as  Research Coordinator III at Moffitt Cancer Center where she managed the Enriching Communication Skills for Health Professionals in Oncofertility (ECHO) training program, which is a web-based communication skill-building training program to help oncology health professionals communicate timely and relevant information regarding reproductive health, including fertility and fertility preservation, to their adolescent and young adult (AYA) patients. Meghan attained her bachelor’s in Interdisciplinary Social Sciences and Master’s in Public Health, concentrating in Maternal and Child Health from the University of South Florida.

Podcast-Headshot-Jamie-Knopman

Guest

Jaime Knopman
Director of Fertility Preservation at CCRM New York and part of Progyny’s Provider Network

Jaime M. Knopman, M.D., a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist with years of experience treating couples and individuals with infertility. She serves as the Director of Fertility Preservation for CCRM New York. After graduating Summa Cum Laude and Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Knopman received her medical degree from Mount Sinai School of Medicine where she was elected to the AOA honor society.

She completed both her residency training in Obstetrics and Gynecology as well as her subspecialty training in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility from NYU Medical Center. Prior to joining CCRM New York, Dr. Knopman was an Assistant Clinical Professor in Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Mount Sinai Medical Center.

Dr. Knopman received numerous awards from NYU including the Robert F. Porges Award for the Graduating Honor Resident. During her fellowship training, she pursued several areas of research including fertility preservation for medical and elective indications. She’s written several sentinel papers devoted to the topic of fertility preservation, specifically egg freezing for cancer patients, has been named to the Super Doctors Rising Stars list and was designated a 2019 New York Super Doctor. Dr. Knopman is a fellow in the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and an active member of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. She is the medical director of Chick Mission, a non-profit organization dedicated to the critical issues unique to young adult cancer patients with a focus on fertility challenges as a result of chemotherapy, surgery, radiation and/or drug treatment. Dr. Knopman currently sits on the Medical Advisory Board of CoFertility, a health organization dedicated to women’s reproductive success, and she is also on the advisory panel of The Breasties, a community for those affected by breast and reproductive cancers.

Dr. Knopman understands that entering the world of fertility treatment can sometimes be confusing and frightening. To help address these concerns, she and Dr. Talebian co-founded Truly, MD (truly-md.com), a website designed to help patients navigate the complexities of fertility treatment and reproductive health. By providing an honest and no-nonsense platform to female health, they embolden women to make informed and confident decisions about their personal lifestyles.

Podcast-Headshot-Emily-Rich

Guest

Emily Rich
VP of Strategic Planning and Operations at UJA and Progyny member

Two months after moving across the country with her fiancé for work, 32-year-old nonprofit executive, Emily Rich, was diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer. She and her husband had never thought about preserving their fertility until they were faced with the risk of losing it. With the help of Progyny and an extraordinary team of Oncofertility specialists, Emily and Ian are prepared for their future family plans – whatever they may be. A strong advocate for empowering women, Emily is passionate about urging women to listen to their bodies, become their own healthcare advocates, and support each other through all of life’s challenges.

Podcast-Headshot-Joyce-Reinecke

Guest

Joyce Reinecke
J.D., Executive Director at Alliance for Fertility Preservation

Before joining the AFP as its Executive Director, Joyce was a Cancer & Fertility Adviser for the LIVESTRONG Foundation. Prior to that, she served as the Vice President of Programs for Fertile Hope.

Throughout her tenure at Fertile Hope, she worked to expand patient and provider awareness of fertility preservation and of advances in the burgeoning field of oncofertility. She was instrumental in developing groundbreaking programs and services including innovative patient materials, a provider education program and Fertile Hope’s Centers of Excellence program.

Joyce is the co-author of 100 Questions & Answers About Cancer and Fertility as well as several articles on cancer & fertility. Joyce has also given countless presentations to varied audiences across the country, and collaborated with leading professional and patient organizations to promote dialogue and policy change.

Joyce is a long-term survivor of leiomyosarcoma who opted for embryo freezing and surrogacy to create her family. Her personal oncofertility journey informs her professional focus and her commitment as a patient advocate.

Prior to her work at Fertile Hope, Joyce was a trademark attorney in Seattle, WA. Joyce obtained a law degree from Fordham University School of Law, and a B.A. from Occidental College. Joyce currently lives in Lafayette, CA with her husband, John, and their twin daughters, Alexandra and Olivia.