Our team at Yorkshire Fertility (YF) pulled off another successful party and there was nothing but praise and a huge outpouring of affection for all their support in helping people grow their families.
One family are so grateful they've created a special story based on Jack and the Beanstalk for their son. It features them and how a "friendly giant" called Mr DeBono and lots of friendly nurses helped them at a hospital "in the clouds".
Marcia Brierley, from Brighouse is mum to four-year-old IVF baby Jasper and came along with husband Matthew (pictured below). She said: "The team have been amazing throughout what has been, at times, a difficult journey. They truly care about the outcome and really invest in the families they're trying to help.
"Jasper often asks us to tell him our favourite story, which we think has become his too. We tell him about Princess Marcia and Matthew the friendly ogre, and that all they ever wished for was a special baby.
"One day Princess Marcia and Matthew went up the beanstalk to the special hospital in the clouds. There they met a friendly giant called Mr DeBono, along with lots of lovely nurse fairies.
"I tell him that they put the special baby into my tummy and that I grew every bit of him from his beautiful eyes and lashes down to his toes. He always asks who that baby was....and smiles when I say it's you Jasper".
Emma and Jaz Bhatt (see below) from Cleckheaton came to the party with their daughter Jaya. They told us "We always come each year to the party. It's important to us to see the team, and especially our nurse Katie Backhouse who saw us daily for our scans and told us the results of our final pregnancy test. She just put us at ease straight away."
And Hebden Bridge couple Kate Bell and Rachel Hawthorn (see below) were at the party with their daughter Iona who is four.
"Throughout the whole time we felt well taken care of, listened to, but most importantly welcomed. Everyone who goes through IVF is in a different situation, but the team truly knew what we were going through. We never once felt excluded or treated differently, and the whole team feel like part of our family. They are completely honest, transparent and extremely supportive."
As ever, Martin DeBono welcomed every family and said the day was truly the highlight of the year for the YF team. "We offer clinics in Bradford, Wakefield, Dewsbury and Halifax, and to come together each year to celebrate successful IVF pregnancies is a total joy".
There have been around 1000 new referrals in the last year and the current conception rate is 40% - higher than the national average. We have had around 350 babies born through both IVF and non IVF treatments over the last year.