Our Austin Fertility Clinic has assistance for men with cancer.

From financial assistance and information on fertility preservation, we have options for men facing cancer. Before beginning any form of cancer treatment, consult with your oncologist about the risks of infertility. Most common cancer treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can affect your ability to father children in the future. Sperm freezing prior to, or in the early stages of, treatment offers the option to have biological children after your treatment. Frozen sperm specimens, when properly stored, will remain viable for almost an indefinite period of time.

Our fertility physicians have specialized training in advanced assisted reproductive technology to help create children from stored frozen sperm.

At the time of freezing, our IVF lab staff will first perform a semen analysis to determine how many quality sperm are present in the sample. This number will dictate how the sample will be divided into vials and frozen.

If there are many sperm present, the sample may be divided into two or more vials. If the sample contains a low number of moving sperm, the sample may be frozen all in one vial. If this is the case, the staff will probably recommend that the man freeze additional samples, based on the number and quality of the sperm present in the ejaculate.

Sperm banking- Fertile Hope’s sharing hope program for men

Texas Fertility Center works with Fertile Hope to assist patients newly diagnosed with cancer receive discounted fertility preservation options at Texas Fertility Center, including sperm freezing & sperm storage.

The services provided include:

• One on-site collection of the specimen at our IVF lab
• Analysis, processing and freezing of one specimen
• A one-year storage contract
• Discount on additional specimens may apply

Sharing Hope only covers the above noted services. The patient will have to pay for services provided by places not affiliated with the program.
Other services not covered include:

• Some laboratory work
• Long-term storage fees (beyond the first 1-year contract)
• Required infectious disease blood tests
• Oncology services
• Costs of future conception, prenatal or other care
• Travel associated with fertility preservation

To qualify for Sharing Hope, men must meet ALL of the following criteria:

• US Citizen or Permanent Resident
• Annual household income less than $75,000 (single) or $100,000 (married)
• Diagnosis of cancer
• Oncologist determines that cancer treatment presents the risk of infertility
• Has not yet started fertility-damaging cancer treatments
• Oncologist determines that sperm banking is medically appropriate
• Has not participated in Sharing Hope before

Please click on the following link to download the application:
Download Application

Other cancer assistance programs available to TFC patients

The Caporal Assistance Network is a non-profit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to assisting young adults living with cancer in the Central Texas area. Recognizing the fact that the average young adult carries a heavy load of financial debt, CAN strives to relieve a portion of the financial and emotional burden that a cancer diagnosis presents.

CAN provides financial assistance to young adults who are pursuing fertility preservation services due to the possibility of becoming infertile as a result of cancer treatments such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy. Our goal is to effectively reduce the out–of–pocket expenses young adults may incur resulting from these procedures. Learn more about the Mariposa Program.

CAN connects cancer patients and survivors, as well as caregivers, family members and friends, to vital community resources to assist in the treatment and recovery process. Local organizations and programs include peer support groups, nutrition workshops, exercise programs, and insurance/financial consultations.

Click here to read the ASRM Guide on Cancer and Fertility Preservation