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Fertility challenges are hard — access to care shouldn’t be.

Conceivable Dreams is a grassroots advocacy organization supporting current and future families. We work to build awareness about fertility and reproductive health issues, and empower patients to address their fertility challenges head-on. We act as patient advocates for individuals and couples from the early steps of their journeys like fertility baseline testing all the way through to fertility treatments like IUI and IVF.

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What we do

  • Educate government, stakeholders, and patients to improve policies and procedures for people who want a family.
  • Liaise with partner organizations across Canada to improve public funding.
  • Improve employer benefits and expanding insurance coverage
  • Build awareness to reduce the stigma associated with infertility
  • Seek diverse and inclusive patient perspectives and experiences to guide our work.

The effects of infertility are far reaching.  While you may not see these significant effects directly, that does not mean they are not making huge waves, creating rippling effects from mental and physical health to home, relationship, and work life. Supporting those experiencing  infertility and those who require assisted fertility services is crucial for the health of our citizens and the overall well-being of our society.

We have always been reliant on our board and patient members who volunteer their time, services, and resources.

Help us continue the fight for better access to fertility care by donating today.

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Our Board

Our board is always looking to expand and allow for new talent. If you are interested in volunteering your time as a Conceivable Dreams board member, please fill in this form.

Tara Wood

Tara Wood

Board Member

Tara Wood is a communications strategist that has worked with some of Canada’s biggest brands and now runs her own company, Purpose Communications. She is passionate about storytelling and helping her clients make a big impact. Tara began working with Conceivable Dreams in 2016 and officially joined the board in 2018. She is inspired by the work the organization has achieved to date and hopes to help it continue to build awareness about IVF and infertility, as well as support efforts for increased drug coverage and public funding for IVF in other provinces.

Zane Colt

Zane Colt

Board Member

As a keen relationship-builder, Zane lives and breathes political outreach and fertility advocacy. He currently works as a government relations consultant for one of Canada’s largest long-term care and home health care companies, having spent years previously working at Queen’s Park. He and his wife are currently building their family with the help of a gestational surrogate and chronicling their journey on a blog titled Not My Tummy (but I’m still Mummy!) Zane has a bachelor’s degree from Carleton University’s Arthur Kroeger College of Public Affairs and a Master’s in Global Diplomacy from the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS, University of London) in the UK. Together, they live in Toronto with their cockapoo puppy, Dodi.

Nipa Chauhan

Nipa Chauhan

Board Member

Nipa Chauhan is a bioethicist at Sinai Health in Toronto, Ontario, and teaches undergraduate and graduate bioethics courses at the University of Toronto. Nipa is a graduate of the Master of Health Sciences in Bioethics program from the Dalla Lana School of Public Health. She specializes in fertility ethics, and is deeply fascinated by the ethics and economics behind public policy. Starting off with ethics-based research on the Ontario Fertility Program, Nipa has also  investigated publicly-funded fertility programs from around the world, namely the United Kingdom, Israel, and New Zealand.

Nipa is also the advisory chair of missINFORMED, an initiative that answers common health questions for women in a scientifically-backed and accessible way. She is also the founder and president of Café Bioethics, an award-winning international bioethics literacy initiative.

Heather Douglas

Heather Douglas

Board Member

Heather Douglas is a Toronto lawyer, who focuses on helping individuals and small businesses with their contract needs and disputes. She holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa and a Master of Laws from Osgoode Hall Law School.

As a lawyer, Heather volunteers her time with the Ontario Bar Association, The Advocates’ Society, Pro Bono Ontario, and the 519 Legal Clinic. She is passionate about helping people navigate the justice system and achieve fair results. It is with this same zeal that she intends to advocate for fertility-care access in Ontario. She knows first-hand how important access to quality and affordable fertility care matters.

Cassandra Johnston

Cassandra Johnston

Board Member

Cassandra Johnston is a financial services leader with 12+ years of experience. She has worked across Strategy & Transformation, Product Development, and Strategic Partnerships at CIBC. She most recently took on a new role at Caary Capital leading their Growth Strategy & Partnerships arm. A passionate leader and advocate for many community causes including Financial Education, Breast Cancer and Fertility. Through her own continuing fertility journey, she knows firsthand the ups and downs that come with trying to build a family. Her goal is to help raise more awareness and reduce the barriers within the system to help make family dreams a more accessible reality within Canada. Her husband, bonus child Kyla and dog Milly live in the beaches in Toronto!

Advisory Committee

Dr. Kimberly Liu

Dr. Kimberly Liu

Clinician Advisor

Dr. Kimberly Liu an infertility specialist practicing at Mount Sinai Fertility in Toronto, Ontario. She completed residency training at the University of Alberta in Ob/Gyn and a fellowship in REI at the University of Toronto. Dr. Liu also holds a Masters in Studies in Law (MSL).  Dr. Liu is currently an Assistant Professor at the University Of Toronto Department Of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Program Director for the U of T Gynecologic Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (GREI) Fellowship Program. She is the author of numerous research publications and several national guidelines for fertility and ART practice in Canada.

Eileen McMahon, RN(EC), MN, PNC(C)

Eileen McMahon, RN(EC), MN, PNC(C)

Clinician Advisor

Eileen McMahon is a Nurse Practitioner at Hannam Fertility Centre in Toronto, Ontario. Eileen graduated from the University of Toronto with a baccalaureate and Master’s degree in Nursing as well as a post-Master’s Nurse Practitioner Diploma.  She holds a Clinical Appointment as an Adjunct Lecturer in the Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing, University of Toronto, holds specialty certification in Perinatal Nursing from the Canadian Nurses Association, and is a certified Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. 

Eileen served on the Canadian Fertility & Andrology Society Board of Directors from 2016-2021 and was their first nurse President from September 2019 to September 2020.  

 Eileen has dedicated herself to identifying best practices for the delivery of outstanding healthcare in an empathetic and inclusive manner. She has a particular interest in fertility preservation.

Dr. Art Leader

Dr. Art Leader

Board of directors Advisor

Dr. Art Leader is a Professor of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Medicine (Endocrinology) at the University of Ottawa, an attending physician at the Ottawa Hospital and a consultant and founding partner of the Ottawa Fertility Centre. He is a trailblazer within our community and for all those struggling with infertility.  In 2008 he received the Award of Excellence from the University of Ottawa Faculty Of Medicine.  He is a past President of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society and a recipient of its Award of Excellence in 2006. He is an advisor to provincial and federal governments on policy issues related to Assisted Human Reproduction.

Founders

Joanne Horibe
Joanne Horibe
Kerri Stanford
Kerri Stanford
Ashley Bulley
Ashley Bulley

Conceivable Dreams History

2009
2009
2010-2012
2013
2014
2015
2019
2020
2021
2023
2009

Conceivable Dreams is created by a group of dedicated volunteers.

2009

The Ontario Expert Panel on Infertility and Adoption releases its recommendations for improving assisted reproductive services. Download Report.

2010-2012

Raise awareness through advocacy events, government meetings, and media.

2013

Host the first in person patient picnic.

2014

The Ontario Government announces it will earmark $50M for funded IVF.

2015

The Ontario Fertility Program is live.

2019

The Board hosts a reception at Queens Park to introduce the new government to the program.

2020

Launch COVID-19 response to support treatment for Ontario patients.

2021

Launch Fertility Benefits Matter to improve employee benefits and insurance.

2023

Conduct the first survey of the Ontario Fertility Program and call on government for increased support for Ontario’s patients.

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