A first-time egg donor at California egg bank YourEggs was left in tears after receiving a heartfelt and touching letter from a family in need of a donation, saying the donation leaves an “indelible mark” on their lives. The family hoped their letter showed how much of a life-changing effect egg donation can have on people.
“I just remember feeling flooded with gratitude and happiness. It felt like a weight was lifted, like all my work from doing the process was worth it, knowing that my donation was going to a kind family,” the donor, who wished to remain anonymous, told Newsweek in an interview. She also said that she was “honored to help make their dream come true,” and the letter “made her feel connected with them.”
The agency shared the sweet letter on TikTok (with permission), and it quickly went viral, with more than 6 million views. The letter explained that this particular family has been suffering with unsuccessful IVF attempts and miscarriages for a decade, but after seeing the donor’s profile, they felt like it was meant to be.
According to Newsweek, Fan Yang, the director of intended parents at the San Diego agency said she was incredibly moved by the letter as well, and that she “loves seeing recipients offer so much gratitude to their donors.”
The letter reads:
To our beautiful egg donor,
It’s hard to put into words just how thankful we are. After a decade of unsuccessful IVF attempts and heartbreaking miscarriages, we had almost given up hope. But the moment my husband and I saw your profile, we felt it was meant to be. Your genuine smile and the video highlighting your lively spirit and zest for life really stood out to us. Wherever life takes you, please know that you’ve made an indelible mark on our lives. We’re committed to showering our baby with love and providing them with everything they need to thrive and be happy.
God bless you.
“It is especially touching to see how the donor responds after receiving a heartfelt letter,” Yang told the outlet.
Yang shared with Newsweek, “We wanted to show that egg donors are kind, normal humans and we hope they always feel loved, safe and appreciated. All our egg donors are angels, deserving of immense love and appreciation.”
According to The Donor Solution, the U.S. average rate for egg donations resulting in a live birth is about 50%. Each stage of the process also has its own success rates: the chance of a fertilized donor egg producing properly developing embryos is about 80%, the chance that those embryos will implant correctly in a uterus is about 75-85%, and the chance of clinical pregnancy is about 55-65%.
Yang said she hopes that more families will be inspired to write letters like this.
“I think it is so sweet and always brings me joy to deliver any gifts or letters to the donor. It’s so meaningful for both the donors and the parents to have this emotional connection that is conveyed through heartfelt words in a letter,” she told Newsweek.