18 months ago I delivered our first child, a healthy boy named Vance, by cesarean section. It was a completely unplanned emergency surgery that was far from the natural birth my husband and I had hoped and planned for. My birth experience left me feeling broken and heavy hearted; emotions that were in complete contradiction with the absolute love and joy I felt towards my son. I felt so alone and thought that something must really be wrong with me for having these negative emotions surrounding such a happy event, especially when no one around me seemed to understand. After a few months I finally did what most people do in this day and age and I searched the internet. To my surprise, and relief, I found ICAN.
When I looked at ICAN’s website I knew instantly that I wasn’t the only one feeling the way I did. Not only were individual women out there offering support, but there was a whole organization dedicated to helping women with any issues they had surrounding a cesarean birth. My first local ICAN chapter meeting left me with such a sense of calm that I hadn’t felt in the 7 months since my cesarean. I started volunteering with my chapter and helping to raise awareness for our group, but it quickly turned into a passion for spreading ICAN’s mission.
I have no idea where I would be without the support and encouragement that ICAN provides and I’m not alone. Thousands of people visit ICAN-online every month and many more find themselves asking questions on Facebook and connecting with local chapters. So what can you do to give back to the number one organization in the world that revolves around cesarean issues? Become a member.
For $30 per year ($60 for professional members), you can support the organization that has supported you. I encourage everyone to see this as an opportunity to give to a cause you believe in. As an all-volunteer non-profit organization, we count on you to help keep the mission going in your community and around the world. By helping to provide resources to those who are seeking information, we can work together to lower the rate of unnecessary cesareans, provide support for cesarean recovery, and promote vaginal birth after cesarean.
To find a chapter near you, so that your membership funds stay near your community, go here.
If you are in the United States, without a chapter near you, please subscribe here.
Professional members in the United States, without a local chapter, please subscribe here.
You may also donate any amount (without becoming a member) by going to the main page and clicking on the “donate” button on the right hand side.
-Tara Gilmore
Blog writer
