Triple M Townsville breakfast announcer Kate Jeboult shares her decision to donate her embryos

Following her successful IVF journey Townsville’s Triple M breakfast announcer Kate Jeboult and her husband will donate their unused embryos. Here’s why they made the call.

Triple M Townsville breakfast presenter, Kate Jeboult, announced on air that she and her husband are planning to donate their unused embryos. Picture: Shae Beplate.

Following her successful IVF journey, Townsville’s Triple M breakfast announcer Kate Jeboult has shared that she and her husband will donate their unused embryos.

One half of the Cliffo and Kate breakfast program, Ms Jeboult has shared her personal story with listeners with the aim of more awareness of IVF and Monash IVF’s embryo donation program.

With the demand for donated eggs and embryos exceeding supply, Ms Jeboult said she was wanting to help families and individuals who were desperate to start a family.

“I have two beautiful children, my son Beau is five and he was conceived naturally. When it came to conceiving the second time, it was a bit tricky for us,” she said.

“We had multiple miscarriages, which is why we sought out IVF and it was successful which was excellent. We got out beautiful daughter Stevie, who is almost two now.”

Having used the services of Monash IVF in Rockhampton, Ms Jeboult said she was paying for the storage of her leftover embryos.

“Every six months I was getting an invoice for the storage,” she said.

“I missed one payment and didn’t realise until I received another one in the mail that I now owed a few hundred dollars.”

“I looked at the bill and thought ‘Okay, it’s probably time to make a bit of a decision about what I’m going to do’”.

Monash IVF has been operating in Rockhampton since 2003, aiming to ease the burden of women and couples who previously had to travel to Brisbane for their services.

Monash IVF have also acquired the Cairns Fertility Centre, allowing for better access for North Queenslanders.

Following discussions with her husband, as well as an on-air interview with nurse Judith Applegarth from Monash IVF Qld, Ms Jeboult said that donating her embryos seemed like the best option.

Triple M Townsville breakfast presenter, Kate Jeboult is planning to donate her unused embryos. Picture: Shae Beplate.

“The options were that you could continue to freeze them, you could destroy them or you could put them into an embryo donation program,” she said.

Ms Jeboult also said some couples and individuals choose to receive the embryos and turn them into cremated jewelry or take them home to be buried.

“Initially I was a bit concerned and wasn’t quite sure. My husband was keen to do the donation and we looked into it and that’s what we have decided to do.”

She said the idea of donating her genetic children was a hard part in making the decision, but ultimately decided it was the right thing to do.

“There is a huge demand, the waiting list to get an embryo is two years, which is a really long time,” she said.

“That long wait time shows how many people are wanting to get pregnant and bring a child into the world. People that are so desperate to become parents and may have had multiple attempts at IVF and it hasn’t worked and they haven’t been able to conceive naturally.”

By sharing her story on air Ms Jeboult said she has received dozens of messages from people who have had a similar experience or have been considering donating their eggs or embryos.

Ms Jeboult said the donation program gives the donor the option to remain anonymous if they choose, similar to that of a sperm donor program, with the option to receive news about a successful pregnancy and the option of more information once the child is 18.

She said it was great for her and her family to know they were helping another family start or expand on theirs.

“There are so many people who are so wanting to have a child and have to go through IVF, so they are the best candidates for a donated embryo,” she said.

“We know that they will be going to a great family and will be so loved.”

Originally published as Triple M Townsville breakfast announcer Kate Jeboult shares her decision to donate her embryos