our story
The Three Hearts Foundation was founded by Nathan and Katie Tidwell for the purpose of raising awareness of infertility, as well as decreasing financial stress by granting funds to in-need couples who require fertility treatments such as IUI and IVF.
A portion of our journey and how our organization got its name is described below.
The creation of the Three Hearts Foundation began during the Summer of 2019. After trying to conceive since mid 2017, including nine cycles of failed fertility treatments with our ob-gyn, we were referred to St. Louis in the Spring of 2019 to explore our options for IUI (intrauterine insemination) or IVF (in-vitro fertilization). Within a few months, we had received our diagnosis of unexplained infertility. We immediately started more invasive fertility treatments, starting with IUI, which was unsuccessful, and later moving on to IVF. As others with infertility can attest to, the journey is one that can bring you heartache each and every month. All the appointments we traveled to together, the test results we waited to look at together, procedures we held each other’s hands through, the phone calls with bad news, and the decisions that we made together for our future family…they were all a part of our journey, and it kept us going through the heartache and constant waiting. The physical, mental, and emotional stress of infertility takes a lot out of you every single day, but it also showed us just how strong we are. We were in the middle of an IUI cycle, and on one of our many trips back home from our clinic when we started discussing the cost for the labs, multiple ultrasounds, the procedure itself, the medications, and the time and money spent driving back and forth to St. Louis multiple times each week. We were thankful to have never had to add the stress of figuring out how to pay for our fertility treatments on top of all the other stress that comes with infertility. For us, this added stress was unimaginable. That was when our idea came to life. What if we could raise money to give to couples to help remove the financial stress for them? What if we could help these couples who are trying to start their family like we were trying to start ours? What if we could help give them a shot at finally having their miracle baby, or their rainbow baby? What if we could give them what may be the only chance they have to start a family? This became our mission; to dissolve the financial burden that infertility brings to so many couples each year. Our IVF journey could not have been a more memorable time in our lives. It was hard…it was really, really hard. Even so, it’s our journey and it’s our story. We waited years until we both knew it was our time to start a family. This wasn’t the way we thought things would happen for us; it wasn’t our plan. Nevertheless, through it all we always knew that Gods delay did not mean He was going to deny us of becoming parents; He knows the time and the plan for us. We wanted to name this organization something that was very significant and special to us. Not only does it represent the start of a family (dad, mom and baby), but also the perfect little hearts of our three frozen embryo babies that we created together during our IVF journey. Our story is shorter than some - longer than others. Infertility hurts no matter how your story started or how it ends, which is why 100% of the proceeds that are raise through the Three Hearts Foundation will be dedicated to granting one couple each year the funds required to cover one future fertility treatment cycle, which may otherwise be financially impossible for them. We hope that this organization brings you inspiration, hope, patience, and faith in your journey, no matter if it has already been a long road or if you’re just getting started…
We see you. We feel you. We are you.
With love,
Nathan and Katie Tidwell
