Building Families through GoDaddy Benefits: Meet Lanie Moser, Jenny Oliveira, and Renee + Mike Deines

Originally published on GoDaddy Life

Infertility can be a challenging issue for many Americans, with millions grappling with the difficulties of building a family. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that approximately one in eight Americans are affected by infertility. As we mark World Infertility Awareness Month this June, it is important to recognize the many ways in which infertility can impact individuals, families, and communities.

At GoDaddy, we understand the importance of providing fertility benefits to our employees. By offering these benefits, we seek to alleviate the financial strain of infertility.

Hear from a few of our employees who have been able to start families directly through IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatments received from GoDaddy Benefits.

Lanie Moser

One in eight couples experience infertility. One in four pregnancies ends in miscarriage. The odds of you knowing someone in your workplace, friends or family that have struggled with either or both of these is pretty significant. I am one in eight. I am one in four. This is my story.

I started at GoDaddy in 2012 because I heard about the amazing benefits and was looking for a job that I could make a career. Little did I know that eight years later, I would need one of those benefits to start a family. Shortly after Covid hit in mid-2020, I learned that my fallopian tubes were completely blocked from endometriosis scar tissue and the only option my husband and I had to conceive children would be IVF. It was at this time that I also learned GoDaddy partnered with Progyny for fertility coverage and that the IVF process was completely covered. The emotional, physical and mental toll IVF can take on a person is far more than anyone should have to take on, but I can’t imagine having to also taken on the financial stress.

On August 9, 2021 we started the prepping for the first phase of IVF. Over the course of a two-week period, I had taken forty shots and eight monitoring appointments. GoDaddy was understanding and accommodating of my time away. I was also SO thankful to have the flexibility to work from home during this stage because stretchy pants and heating pads were a must! I did and additional fifty-one at home injections between November and January, and we transferred our first embryo on January 5, 2022. Unfortunately, this transfer ended in a miscarriage. My doctors next recommendation was to have surgery to completely remove my fallopian tubes. So, on February 24, 2021, I went in with blind hope and did just that and one month later we repeated the IVF process again for round two.

On April 29, 2021 we transferred one embryo. Five days later we took an at home pregnancy and saw two pink lines! Our miracle GoDaddy IVF baby girl was born on January 9, 2022. Maxwell Lane is our entire world. We dreamed of the days we could see the world through her eyes, travel with her, take her to the zoo, the aquarium, hear her laugh, and hold her hand. Today, you can find us doing all of that. We are so so so thankful for GoDaddy and the amazing benefits for making all of this happen. I’ve connected with so many other employees who share similar experiences, and while all of our journeys may look a little different and may be on different timelines, we all share two things in common: hope and strength.

Jenny Oliveira

I live in New Jersey and have been with GoDaddy for about ten months! I’m twenty-one weeks pregnant and due in the beginning on November! Prior to joining this amazing company, I spent about twenty years in the food industry and decided it was time for a change! While casually perusing LinkedIn, I stumbled on a job that spoke to me — Employee Engagement and Surveys — for GoDaddy! I hit the apply button and the rest is history!

My fiancé and I had been trying for a year and a half with no luck. Then, my doctor suggested that we see a fertility doctor — talk about anxiety and stress! We have all heard about how insanely expensive fertility treatment is! This all happened while I was switching jobs. And let me tell you — I am a FIRM believer that everything happens for a reason! Before joining GoDaddy, I had NO idea how incredible the fertility benefits were until I started this journey. When I called my fertility clinic, the person on the phone ran my benefits and said “You have ‘bomb.com’ benefits.” I immediately felt a sense of relief but still very unsure of what that meant. It wasn’t until I actually started my treatment that I fully understood how amazing our benefits are!

Going the fertility route is extremely emotional and physically taxing, but knowing that I wouldn’t be stuck with an insane bill helped alleviate a great deal of anxiety (which I believe helped everything work)! GoDaddy has given me the greatest gift — a little baby girl!

The support has been AMAZING! I was given the flexibility to attend all my doctor’s appointments to ensure everything was running smoothly. The support came from all over — from my boss to my immediate team to finding colleagues who have gone through the same journey!

Renee + Mike Deines

We have worked at GoDaddy for quite a while. We did not meet here, but so much of our life and what we have become has been in part to our shared experiences in the work we get to do here. When we decided to start a family, we quickly learned we were one of the vast number of people who were struggling with infertility. Initially we discussed adoption, however quickly learned of the significant cost involved. Then we found out through a friend about the benefits we had here at GoDaddy for IVF, and it became a game changer.

Our IVF journey was a long and difficult one. However, If we did not go through IVF, we would not be experiencing all of the “firsts” a couple gets to witness when having a baby. We would not have gone through all the successful milestones we hit over the years. We would not have started the IVF process if it was not for GoDaddy’s benefits. Although GoDaddy has benefits for both IVF and adoption assistance, to us, IVF seemed more obtainable.

Our IVF journey lasted three years and was filled with doctor’s appointments, hormone injections, and weight gain. I went through three failed transfers before finally having a successful one.

While it was a challenging road, we were an amazing support system for each other (especially Mike) that made it all worth it in the end. The first round of IVF was overwhelming, to say the least. The appointments were constant, and between the bloodwork and ultrasounds, it was tough to keep up with all of the information. The hardest part was the hormone injections, which caused mood swings and weight gain, both of which were difficult to manage. The first transfer was unsuccessful, which was disheartening after all the work that went into it. We tried again, and then again but the second and third rounds also failed. It was heartbreaking to go through it twice and have nothing to show for it. The fourth and final attempt was a success. It was hard to maintain hope after three failed attempts, but we kept pushing forward. Despite the hardships, it was all worth it in the end. Getting that call that we had a successful transfer. Getting to see that BOTH babies made it on that first ultrasound. It was all worth it.

Mike was there every step of the way, offering encouragement and taking care of me when I needed it the most. My friends were also a source of strength for us, offering words of wisdom and comfort when we needed it the most. This journey taught us a lot about each other and the importance of relying on others for support. It also reminded us that sometimes, the hardest things in life are the most worth it.

Our babies have been worth every step of the way. That first phone call and ultrasound where we found out we were pregnant; it was a magical and unforgettable experience. Feeling our babies move for the first time and seeing them move across my tummy has been some of the most special moments in our lives.

All of this would not be possible if not for the benefits we have with GoDaddy. We are due on August 15th with twins (Boy — Atticus and Girl- Poppy), and it is because of those benefits we get to grow our family. We love what we get to do here and that this benefit is available to us. People are stunned when we share what those benefits are.

A little bit more about GoDaddy’s fertility benefits

For US employees, GoDaddy partners with Progyny, a leading fertility benefit provider, to provide an inclusive, supportive and effective family building benefit for many paths to parenthood, including:

• Comprehensive coverage for your family building journey, including access to the most advanced fertility treatments and technology
   
• Unlimited guidance and personalized support from a dedicated patient care advocate
   
• Access to the largest national network of premier fertility specialists
   
• Coordinated care covering medical and pharmacy needs
   
• This brochure will give an overview of the treatments, support and additional resources available to you.
   
• This video also provides details about the benefits available to employees.

GoDaddy participants have rated Progyny with an excellent average 8.9 NPS.

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