On the latest episode of "The Shelly Bell Show," hosts Shelly Omílàdé Bell and Takia Ross interviewed Kristin Young, the communications coordinator for the Cade Foundation.
"Our primary focus is supporting families overcoming infertility. There is a large number, one in eight families that are dealing with infertility," Young explained. And so many are still not comfortable talking about it, don't know where to go, don't know what resources are available. So that is what we do. That is our everyday focus, being "able to be a resource, being of support, and most importantly, offering grants to families up to $10,000 to who are seeking infertility treatment or domestic adoption."
The Tinina Q Cade Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 2005 to provide information support and financial assistance to help needy infertile families OVERCOME infertility. The foundation is named after the founders' (Drs Jason and Camille Hammond) mother, Dr. Tinina Cade. Dr. Cade carried and delivered the couple's triplets following five years of infertility for the Hammonds.
She was 55 years old and made history as the oldest woman to deliver triplets at that point.
"The general definition of infertility is someone who has been actively attempting to get pregnant. And hasn't been able to over a period of 12 months or longer. But there are some people who know upfront that they have some challenge," she explains. "There are some health challenges, some physical challenges, whether it's endometriosis."
Approximately 20% to 80% of women develop fibroids by the time they reach age 50. Nearly 25% of all Black women between 18 and 30 have fibroids compared to about 6% of white women. This number leaps to 60% after the age of 35.
"I know fibroids is big in our community, and that also can contribute to challenges with getting pregnant. There's so many people who are dealing with various types of cancer that can affect, or sometimes just the cancer treatment, that can affect their fertility," Young continues. "So there's a whole bunch of ways and reasons why there may be challenges. And some of it's still unknown. But if that's something that you know you want to pursue, that's something that we need to focus on creating testing early and often, and not just, 'Oh, I'm 35 and I'm having a hard time. And now what?'"
"The Shelly Bell Show" airs Sundays at 12 pm ET on SiriusXM Urban View (Channel 126)