Episode 74: Fertility After Cancer - Navigating Parenthood & Building Hope

In this episode of the Patient From Hell, we talk to Mike and Megan Scherer, a couple who faced fertility challenges after Mike's testicular cancer diagnosis at age 26. They share their personal journey through cancer treatment, fertility preservation, and eventually becoming parents through assisted reproductive technologies. The Scherers also discuss their non-profit organization, Worth the Wait, which provides financial assistance and support to young adult cancer survivors facing fertility issues. Their story highlights the emotional, financial, and medical complexities of fertility preservation and family building for cancer survivors.

Key Highlights:

1. Cancer treatment can significantly impact fertility, making it crucial for patients to discuss preservation options immediately after diagnosis.

2. The financial burden of fertility treatments for cancer survivors is substantial and often not covered by insurance, as was the case for the Scherers.

3. Through their non-profit Worth the Wait, the Scherers aim to alleviate the financial barriers preventing young adult cancer survivors from pursuing fertility preservation and family-building options.

About our guests:

Mike Scherer is a cancer survivor, co-founder and chief visionary of oncofertility charity Worth the Wait. He is passionate about helping other young adult cancer survivors lead meaningful lives in survivorship. He has shared his perspective with clinical and industry audiences nationally through speaking engagements, articles and podcasts. When he’s not advocating for cancer awareness, he enjoys spending time with his family and cycling. Mike is also a managing partner of Summit Financial Strategies, an investment management firm.

Megan Scherer is the co-founder and executive director of Worth the Wait. Megan advocates for patients and oncofertility nationally as a speaker and patient advocate. She enjoys the personal relationships she forms with young patients Worth the Wait assists and loves providing hope and inspiring others with her story as a caregiver, infertility patient, and mom to son Elliott. Before co-founding Worth the Wait in 2021, Megan held marketing communication leadership roles in the health insurance industry. 

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Key Moments:

At 29 minutes: "We look into the eyes of our child now and we don't think, man, you were an expensive little guy. We just think, we're so fortunate to have you here and be able to raise you. When we sat down to start Worth the Wait, we said, okay, if we were able to remove that financial barrier, would you be willing to go through what is also a difficult process? And the answer was yes." - Mike Scherer

At 32 minutes: "There's so many stories of AYA patients every week who are reaching out for assistance and there are people who are maxing out their credit cards to pay for [fertility treatments]. There's people I know that are selling t-shirts, that are selling popcorn, that are doing these things because this is the one thing in their life that they want to have a chance at." - Megan Scherer

At 38 minutes: “"You don't have time to waste and depending on the diagnosis you may have a very short window. Banking sperm takes a day but preserving eggs can take weeks, so you want to know upfront." - Megan Scherer

Disclaimer: All content and information provided in connection with Manta Cares is solely intended for informational and educational purposes only.  This content and information is not intended to be a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your