The Nam-Chow’s Story

“After years of waiting, Marc Chow, my spouse, and I (Vickie Nam) welcomed our daughter Yuna Justine Nam-Chow to the world on October 18, 2017. She weighed 6 pounds and measured 19 inches in length.

We discovered “it takes a village,” not only to raise a child, but for many, to become parents. Marc and I started trying to conceive in our mid to late 30s and quickly realized this might be a longer chapter in our shared life story than anticipated. For us, conception was not a goal that could be achieved through diligence and hard work. After months that turned into years of fertility treatment, we were told by a reputable doctor in the Bay Area that our only hope would be to find an egg donor.  We were weary, heartbroken, and leaned on our faith to shed light on what we should do.  I asked Marc how he felt about traveling out of state to do one final cycle of IVF—this time, at CCRM, which I’d learned about through online fertility forums.

We were fortunate to meet Dr. Surrey, who showed genuine interest in our case and managed to engage us with an endearing sense of humor as we embarked on yet another taxing process of treatment. He thoroughly reviewed our health history and suggested a protocol that was aimed at addressing issues that had been previously overlooked or minimized.

Marc and I were profoundly grateful to have this opportunity to seek fertility treatment and embraced this last chance at “making magic” with the help of the best center for reproductive medicine, regular acupuncture, fiercely loyal social support, and prayer.  For the first time ever, our retrieval at CCRM Lone Tree yielded a single viable (“chromosomally normal”) embryo. Although our doctor seemed disappointed that only one healthy embryo emerged, we felt only hopefulness and joy!  We returned a few months later for the transfer, and although fear and anxiety clung to us, we fixed our gaze on our dream. We waited what seemed like forever for each new milestone from the positive pregnancy test result to our medically required C-section delivery. Then, in a flash, she was finally here; Yuna’s unforgettable first cry transformed our vision from dream to reality.

Over a hundred family and friends gathered in San Francisco to celebrate Yuna’s 100-Day and Red Egg & Ginger Celebration. Introducing our girl to those whose wishes and prayers were a buoy during difficult times was a joyful blessing!

We are profoundly happy to be parents and grateful to CCRM for their exceptional care, especially Dr. Surrey and our nurse, Taylor. Thank you so very much!”

– Vickie Nam