Helping Heroes Build Families Program Extends Free IVF Services to Military Families Stationed in New Jersey

BASKING RIDGE, N.J., Nov. 6, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey (RMANJ), one of the nation's leading fertility clinics, is committed to helping New Jersey-based, active duty, United States Military Services personnel and their spouses overcome the challenges of infertility by offering one free cycle of IVF services.  RMANJ announced today, that in celebration of Veteran's Day, it will be extending its Helping Heroes Build Families program into 2014. 

Active duty members serving in New Jersey who participate in the program receive one free cycle of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and can be seen at any one of RMANJ's seven New Jersey locations. Since first being introduced in May 2012, RMANJ's Helping Heroes Build Families program has provided more than $150,000 worth of free care to members of the US military.

The Helping Heroes Build Families program was conceived by two former military physicians currently practicing together at RMANJ, Dr. Richard Scott Jr., MD, FACOG, HCLD and Dr. Thomas Kim, MD, FACOG. The two are intimately familiar with the sacrifices our military make on a daily basis and developed this program to give back to our honored service men and women serving in New Jersey.

Dr. Richard Scott, who completed his medical training and practiced in the US Air Force before becoming a founding partner of RMANJ commented, "We are in a unique position to use our expertise to help military personnel serving in New Jersey have families that they may not be able to have otherwise – a cause our entire team at RMANJ is passionate about." 

Patients Myesha and Sergeant Lyzander Jones tried for four years to conceive including two failed IVF treatments while stationed in Japan. When they moved to the base at Fort Dix, NJ, they learned of the Helping Heroes Build Families program. After one IVF treatment, the couple was pregnant. "Having a family has changed everything," said Mrs. Jones. "My children are beautiful and amazing and the reason we tried so hard and so long and never gave up. They are my world."

Dr. Thomas Molinaro, MD, MSCE, FACOG, based at RMANJ's Eatontown office, who was the Jones' doctor added, "It has been a pleasure to work with our military patients. They are so positive and grateful for the opportunity. It has been an amazing and rewarding experience to help them grow their families. To give back to the men and women who protect our freedom is an honor."

U.S. Navy veteran Dr. Thomas Kim added, "We are aware of the challenges both logistically and financially that our military heroes and their spouses face when trying to have a family, and that is why we introduced the Helping Heroes Build Families program. This is a way for our team to say thank you to these families for their service and hopefully help them realize their dream of becoming parents."

In January 2013, Senator Murray of Washington introduced the Women Veterans and Other Health Care Improvement Act to improve the access to reproductive assistance to military members who currently do not have coverage for infertility treatments under their current medical benefits. Until the Senate passes the bill, independent programs like Helping Heroes Build Families provide some assistance to those military couples looking to build families. To be eligible for Helping Heroes Build Families, patients must:

• Be active-duty United States Military Services personnel, and spouses, in the United States Army, the United States Navy, the United States Air Force, the United States Marine Corps and/or the United States Coast Guard.
• Serve on a U.S. military base or facility located in New Jersey.
• Have been properly screened and diagnosed in collaboration with military healthcare providers.

For more information about eligibility and other program details, contact RMANJ at 973-871-1250 or visit http://www.rmanj.com/our-success/help-us-help-others/helping-heroes/

About Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey

Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey have pioneered and successfully implemented a cutting-edge technology, known as Comprehensive Chromosome Screening (CCS) to more accurately detect healthy embryos that will lead to successful pregnancies and ultimately healthy babies. Other centers have attempted similar testing methods, but RMANJ is the only fertility center in the world to have developed a system of unprecedented accuracy, fully validated through years of rigorous clinical research. RMANJ's Comprehensive Chromosome Screening offers advanced embryo selection with extreme accuracy by detecting and avoiding use of embryos with chromosomal abnormalities prior to transfer and pregnancy.

The fertility experts at RMANJ have among the highest IVF success rates in the country. Since 1999, they have helped bring more than 30,000 babies to loving families.  In addition to serving as the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology at Robert Wood Johnson University Medical School in New Brunswick, NJ, the practice has seven locations in New Jersey. For more information please call RMANJ at 973-656-2089, or visit http://www.rmanj.com.

SOURCE Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey