Cairns doctor and father of nine makes sperm donor conception information inquiry submission

A Cairns doctor and father to nine children has used his personal journey to make a strong case for more information to be shared between sperm donors and their offspring.

A CAIRNS sexual health doctor and father to nine children opened up about the momentous discoveries he’s made as a sperm donor in his submission into the state government’s inquiry into donor conception information.

The Queensland legal affairs and safety committee opened the inquiry in February with a report due on August 31, exploring issues relating to the rights of donor-conceived persons, including to know their genetic origins as well as the extent to which identifying information about donors should be given to donor-conceived persons.

Cairns sexual health physician Dr Darren Russell, 59, and previously of Victoria made sperm donations in Melbourne in the early 1980s as a university student and last year discovered his deposits had resulted in at least nine offspring, with the findings possible due to Victoria’s legislative framework.

In 2018, Dr Russell took a DNA test through genealogy company Ancestry and in June 2021 received an email informing him he had a 50 per cent match with a male, meaning it would be either his father or son.

Cairns doctor Darren Russell discovered he had nine offspring to date, as a sperm donor.

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After searching the name of the match on Facebook, who Dr Russell calls “Kevin” in his submission, he realised the “striking resemblance” between Kevin and himself and got in touch.

“This was the first I knew that my donations in the early 1980s had resulted in any offspring. Kevin then let me know that he had an older sister who was conceived using the same sperm,” Dr Russell’s submission read.

Then intrigued, Dr Russell reached out to the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority which had a voluntary register to allow donor-conceived people and their donors to potentially connect. Through the VARTA, he discovered he had nine offspring to date.

He said although his signed donor forms prevented him from seeking the identity of any child born from his donation, “the world has changed a lot since” since the early ’80s.

Cairns doctor Darren Russell, who is the father to nine children conceived through sperm donation made his first discovery of his offspring via an ancestry site. Picture: ISTOCK

“Perhaps, most importantly, I am struck by the proposition that the donor-conceived person is the only one who did not sign an agreement regarding confidentially, and yet they are undoubtedly the ones most affected. It seems profoundly unfair that actions taken by their parents, the clinic involved, and me, 30-40 years ago would be unable to be questioned by the person who was born as a result of those actions and who must live with the donor’s DNA.

“I believe that a central registry with historical and ongoing information should be established in Queensland, similar to that established in Victoria.”

Dr Russell believes all information relating to donor conception should be placed on this register.

“Both donors and those conceived as a result of donations should have access to this information in a controlled manner, regardless of confidentiality agreements signed years or even decades past,” he said.

Originally published as Cairns doctor and father of nine makes sperm donor conception information inquiry submission