970.946.7036
Coming
SOON
Lovella Rose Machiko Stastny
You may be wondering why this can be found on a bridal shop website. Maybe, after you read this, you will understand. I am the owner of Katerina's Darling Bridal, and I struggle with infertility. I went back and forth on whether or not I should share this story with the world... and here is the conclusion. This is raw and very real. My heartbreak and my pain can be immobilizing. The frustration and sadness that I have had for eight years of trying to conceive and feeling as if my body continues to fail me goes beyond words. My husband and I have five angel babies. Four miscarriages and one birth, born 3 months too early. Our beautiful daughter, Lovella, was born on March 8, 2024. She became an angel on March 12, 2024. After years of trying and finally having some hope, well our hearts were so full and then shattered. We miss her dearly and everyday my heart aches for the need to hold my daughter. However, she has given me strength to continue to provide for others. To help those where I can. So, I have created this grant for women who struggle with infertility, loss, and everything that comes with that. My husband and I applied for multiple grants to attempt some help with the incredibly expensive, but blessed opportunities that science has provided for us. We unfortunately, never received any grants or other help for the three rounds of IVF that we went through. Which is understandable. Although infertility isn't talked about often, 1 out of every 6 women face infertility. That is A LOT. One grant (although there are many) cannot help everyone, so we paid out of pocket for our rounds. However, during our hospital stay and after we lost Lovella we were lucky enough to have wonderful friends throughout the community that made donations that helped the store carry on as well as gave us some time to grieve. For those, we are truly grateful for you and your donations to our family. I would like to give back to this community that has helped support us through and through. One of the most ignorant things that has been said to me is, "You don't want kids anyway, they are so expensive..." People say things and don't realize the damage that they can cause. I have multiple first hand experiences of IVF, and well . . . it is expensive. In vitro fertilization (IVF) can cost between $15,000 and $30,000 per cycle, but the total cost can be much higher. So starting January 2025. Every sale made at Katerina's Darling Bridal, 2% of that sale will go into Lovella's Gift of Hope. Along with our 2% per sale donation, anyone can also donate to the fund. Please know that anything and everything adds up, at the bottom of this page you can find a donation button. In December 2025, we will be gifting that amount to a local couple who truly needs it. Someone who has not had the blessing of a child. Someone who continues to hold on to the hope of getting to hold a precious little love in their arms. I see you. I feel you. I understand.
Lovella's Gift of Hope. We know that money doesn't provide happiness, but we do hope that it helps ease some of the stress, and that you too can feel the love from our daughter.
Lovella's Gift of Hope
Lovella's Gift of Hope has been created to support women impacted by recurrent miscarriages and infertility. Pregnancy loss and infertility impacts many women, but these are difficult topics to discuss. Lovella's Gift of Hope was established to support women through their grief and pain. Gift funds can be used to pay for the following:
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*Ιnfertility medications, supplies and treatment from ANY reproductive endocrinology practice of the recipient’s choice, including in-vitro fertilization, oocyte vitrification (egg freezing), embryo cryopreservation (embryo freezing) and third party reproduction. The gift check will be written directly to the facility of your choice for your treatment.
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Requirements for Lovella's Gift:
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Applicants MUST be citizens or legal residents of Durango and the surrounding areas
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Applicants MUST have a diagnosis of infertility certified by a medical provider. (Please list your medical provider)
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This particular gift is for those who haven't been blessed with a child ​​
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The application fee is $50, this fee is NONREFUNDABLE. The $50 goes directly into the scholarship funds.
Make a donation
Although infertility might not affect you directly. 1-6 women struggle with it. Maybe a friend of yours, maybe your daughter, a sister, a niece, a son, a brother, and absolutely a stranger . . . Help make someone's life a little brighter. Anything helps! Any comment that you leave will be put it a book and given to the couple that is gifted this donation in December of 2025 so they will know how much LOVE is being sent their way.
Frequency
One time
Amount
$5.00
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