Every March, families, advocates, and fertility professionals come together to celebrate Surrogacy Awareness Month—a time to honor the gestational carriers who make parenthood possible for those who cannot carry a pregnancy themselves. Whether due to medical conditions, same-sex partnerships, or personal circumstances, surrogacy offers a path to parenthood that might otherwise remain out of reach.
At Signature Donors, we understand that every family-building journey is unique, and while we don’t provide surrogacy services directly, many of our intended parents use donor eggs as part of their surrogacy journey. The connection between egg donation and surrogacy is significant: for many single fathers, same-sex male couples, and individuals with uterine factor infertility, both donor eggs and a gestational carrier become essential pieces of their path to parenthood.
Celsey Benson, our Onboarding & Case Manager here at Signature Donors, has been through the surrogacy process herself. She understands the hope, challenges and excitement that the process brings, so we asked her a few questions:
What are your thoughts on Surrogacy Awareness Month?
Surrogacy Awareness Month is a reminder that family-building journeys look different for everyone and that there is incredible strength, courage, and compassion woven into each one.
It honors the intended parents who refuse to give up on their dreams, the surrogates who open their hearts and bodies to help build families, and the professionals who walk alongside them.
For me, this month is about gratitude. Gratitude for the women who say “yes” to helping others. Gratitude for the families who trust the process. And gratitude for the privilege of being part of something so life-changing.
Surrogacy is more than a medical journey. It is hope in action. And I am endlessly honored to be a small part of that story.
What inspired you to become a surrogate, and what did you wish you had known before beginning your journey?
My husband and I struggled with male infertility, and the road to becoming parents was filled with heartbreak, uncertainty, and so much waiting. When we finally held our daughter for the first time, everything changed. The love we felt in that moment was overwhelming, pure, life altering joy.
I remember looking at her and thinking, everyone who longs for this deserves to feel this.
That was the beginning of my surrogacy journey. It wasn’t about compensation or curiosity, it was about giving someone else the chance to experience that same miracle.
What I wish I had known before beginning is just how deeply meaningful the journey would become for me. I expected to help create a family. I didn’t expect how much it would grow my own heart in the process.
Can you walk us through what the surrogacy process looked like from your perspective — from the initial decision through to delivery? What surprised you most about the experience?
The decision itself was surprisingly easy for my husband and I. We both felt called to it. There was no hesitation.
The beginning requires patience. There are medical clearances, psychological evaluations, legal contracts, and IVF. It’s a season of preparation and trust. But once transfer happened and pregnancy was confirmed, everything seemed to move so quickly.
What surprised me most was how natural it all felt. I never once questioned my role. I felt purposeful every step of the way.
And the delivery… Watching my intended parents hold their baby for the first time is something I will never forget. The tears, the disbelief, the gratitude, it was better than Christmas morning. In that moment, I knew with absolute certainty that I was exactly where I was meant to be.
How did working in the fertility industry at Signature Donors influence or prepare you for your own surrogacy journey? Were there aspects of the process that you understood differently because of your professional experience?
I began working at Signature while I was already in the midst of my own journey. Going through medical clearance, legal contracts, and IVF firsthand changed how I supported them through the process.
When I walk egg donors through the process, I don’t speak from theory. I speak from experience. I understand the nerves before appointments, the vulnerability of legal discussions, the hope tied to every embryo transfer.
Because I’ve lived it, I can look at our donors and say with full conviction: You are changing someone’s life forever.
What would you say to intended parents who are considering surrogacy as part of their family-building journey? What do you wish more people understood about the surrogate’s perspective?
To intended parents, I see you. I know how hard it is to place your dream in someone else’s hands. The vulnerability is real. The fear is real.
I encourage you to truly get to know your surrogate. Ask her why she chose this path. Learn her heart. Build trust beyond the contracts and the appointments.
Surrogates do not take this responsibility lightly. We understand the magnitude of what we are carrying, not just a baby, but your entire world. We carry your child with intention, care, and an overwhelming respect for the trust you’ve placed in us.
And when you support your surrogate, when you check in, encourage her, and walk beside her, the bond you’re able to form is truly beautiful.
Now that you’ve been through the surrogacy process yourself, how does that personal experience shape the way you support and guide intended parents at Signature Donors?
At Signature Donors, I am not simply managing timelines or paperwork. I am walking alongside families during one of the most sacred seasons of their lives. My personal journey allows me to reassure them with confidence, advocate for them with passion, and celebrate with them wholeheartedly.
This work is deeply personal to me, because I know firsthand what it means to finally hold your miracle.
For more information on finding an egg donor, or to enquire about becoming an egg donor, you can contact us here.
