# Adoption after cancer



## velo

Hi there,
I've recently completed active treatment after being unexpectedly diagnosed with breast cancer last May (while TTC for a year and a half since I got married). Now I should be cured. Ideally I am supposed to be on hormonal medication for 5 years which would prevent me from having a child during that time (because of risks of birth defects) which would then put me at 44 and likely infertile, given my history. I am presumably infertile now and because of my chemotherapy, may not ever get my period again (medication issue aside).

My husband and I very much want to be parents. I'm feeling lost as to where to go from here. We are seriously considering adoption. As far as I see it my main options to be a parent are:
- adopt
- get pregnant with donor eggs
- hope for fertility to return, interrupt meds, etc?

We've been through so much in the last year from dealing with infertility to dealing with cancer. It seems all of these paths are more emotional roller coasters as well as costly.

If anyone has been in the same position, did you face discrimination in trying to adopt after cancer? Was there a period of time you needed to wait? I presume there would be more difficulties with an international adoption than a domestic one because of requirements of other countries. I'm in Canada BTW.

Any general advice about adoptions in Canada appreciated! Not sure about private vs. public route yet either.


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