WILLOWICK, Ohio — Inside Elizabeth Michalski's Willowick home, there are numerous tributes to her son, Teddy.
"It's a weighted teddy bear, so it weighs 15 ounces, which is exactly how much Teddy weighed when he was born," said Michalski, who runs the non-profit "A Touch of Teddy."
Michalski lost her son Theodore at 22 weeks. She remembers him with pictures and teddy bears. Michalski said her journey to become pregnant was far from easy.
"I have PCOS, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. I was told as a teen that I was going to have trouble getting pregnant," said Michalski.
Elizabeth and her husband Alex consulted infertility specialists who found cancer on her thyroid.
"Maybe Teddy knew that I was still sick, and that's why he had to leave. Medically, we might never know if that was the cause," said Michalski.
Her journey is not uncommon but often not shared. one in six people worldwide experiences infertility, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Infertility can impact men and women and doesn't discriminate. Because of that, trying to start a family can sometimes cause distress, trauma, stigma, and financial strain.
National Infertility Awareness Week is from April 21-27, encouraging people to open up about their own infertility and pregnancy loss stories.
"There's been a recent survey that up to 40% of people that are experiencing issues with fertility don't share that struggle with friends or family," said Whitney McSparron, a licensed professional counselor at Thriveworks.
If a friend or family member opens up to you about their infertility journey, therapists recommend listening,
"You want to make sure that you're being validating and not minimizing, so that's avoiding saying things like 'Oh, it will happen for you' or 'Hey at least you still get to sleep in,' or 'Just relax, and everything will be fine.' Those are the kind of responses that can do more harm than good," said McSparron.
Thriveworks recommends scheduling individual and couples counseling if you feel overwhelmed. After their loss, Michalski and her husband found a lot of support at University Hospitals.
"They had a bereavement group for families experiencing pregnancy and infant loss," said Michalski.
In Teddy's memory, Elizabeth is on a mission, sending little teddies across the globe.
"48 states, three different countries, to date we've sent over 1,100 teddy bears, and that was just last year," said Michalski.
The bears connect and support men and women who have experienced loss. Michalski added, "it's not a club we want to be in, the loss mom club, but you find comfort in the loss and the community."
Michalski feels lucky to hold her two children, Delilah and Nathan, tight. Successful fertility treatment brought her the son and daughter she calls her rainbow and pot of gold.
"I have them helping me package up the bears too, so making them a part of what I'm doing in Teddy's memory is a huge part of it, and it will be going forward," said Michalski.
If you would like to send a bear to a family member or a friend, click here.
"A Touch of Teddy" is hosting a Zumbathon on Mother's Day weekend on Friday, May 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Eastlake North High School in the gym. All proceeds go directly to sending more bears to grieving families. You can sign up here.
