91 | Dr. Amy Walpole on solidarity, friendships & childless by circumstance

TW: fertility/infertility

Dr. Amy Walpole graduated from the University of Wales College of Medicine, and completed her GP vocational training in 2007. She emigrated from Wales to Northland in 2018, working for a Māori health provider. She volunteers with Whangārei Riding for the Disabled and lives on a lifestyle block. Her lifestyle block includes three ponies, five alpacas, chickens, turkeys, a cat and a dog! Dr. Walpole joins us today to discuss a topic that can be painful for some of us - being childless by circumstance. 

In this episode, we discuss her journey from Wales to New Zealand/Aotearoa, and her journey from being a training surgical registrar  to general practice. A trigger warning is in place as this episode discusses extensively the journey of being childless by circumstance, a situation that is familiar to a number of doctors due to our long training programs and stressful work environments. In this vulnerable episode, we discuss the journey through IVF, ICSI, the emotional and financial toll it took, and her recovery and healing from this journey. We talk about what was important in her support system to hold her up, which has included the solidarity she received from colleagues and friends. 

This episode may be challenging for many to hear. Please be kind to yourselves and the speaker if you are navigating this journey too. Aroha nui.

Chapters

• 0:00 Amy Walpole
• 1:19 Finding medicine
• 3:15 Finding general practice from surgery
• 5:17 Moving from Wales to NZ/Aotearoa
• 9:02 Childless by circumstance - the beginning
• 20:29 Costs of IVF
• 25:10 Recovering and healing
• 29:13 Words of wisdom/reflection
• 33:47 Heteronormative pressures to have children