THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, May 12, 1996 TAG: 9605120141
SECTION: LOCAL PAGE: B1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY ALISON BOLOGNA, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 81 lines
Mother's Day isn't necessarily a day of celebration.
For women struggling with fertility problems, it can mark one of the worst days of the year.
But not always; and not today.
At least not for the women who are attending a Mother's Day reunion at the Jones Institute this weekend. Today reminds them of what they've always cherished and what they've finally got: children.
These women are celebrating because their children are among the nearly 1,700 ``miracle test-tube babies'' conceived at Eastern Virginia Medical School on Colley Avenue - the country's first in vitro clinic.
``This was once a time of anguish,'' Janice Spencer said. ``While so many people took for granted their fertility, my friends and I used to cry together. But now it's the greatest time I can imagine, and I realize that everyday. It doesn't get any better that this.''
About 800 people are participating in the institute's fourth Mother's Day reunion, which included an open house at the institute and dinner at the Virginia Zoo Saturday. Today there's a brunch with an ``Alice in Wonderland'' theme at the Marriott Waterside.
But because there are so many people involved, this reunion could be the last.
The first Jones baby conceived in a petri dish at EVMS, Elizabeth Carr, 14, is one of this weekend's participants.
``For all of us here, trying to be a mother was a struggle,'' Judy Carr said at the dinner. ``I think we're all special mothers because we don't take for granted our motherhood.''
Spencer agreed.
``It's made me a different kind of mother,'' she said. ``I savor every minute with my child.''
All the Jones babies owe their existence to technology that has advanced every year. Recent technology includes intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in which doctors can implant a single sperm into an egg.
The institute's founders, Drs. Howard and Georgeanna Jones, are celebrating with the families.
``We didn't do this alone,'' Howard Jones said during the open house. ``This requires team effort, a band to make sweet music.
``It's tremendously rewarding to see these children, but we know there's work to be done because the field is changing so rapidly.''
Dr. Mason Andrews, who delivered Elizabeth Carr in 1981, agreed.
``In the future, we will continue to learn, publish and teach more to pursue excellence,'' he said.
And part of that research will help make reproductive medicine even more successful.
``For all the successes you see here, there have also been failures,'' Howard Jones said. ``We hope to eventually get through all the problems so we can give couples what they want.''
During the open house at the institute, several parents addressed one of the institute's doctors, Dr. Suheil Muasher.
``You really changed our lives,'' one woman said.
Her husband agreed.
``This means so much to us,'' he said. ``We still can't believe the whole thing.''
One mother came all the way from England to attend the reunion.
``I wanted my son, James, to get to know his identity and his beginnings,'' Irene Craft said. ``But once he was born I became like any other mom and he's like any other child.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
RICHARD L. DUNSTON/The Virginian-Pilot
Meredith Hill, 2 1/2, left, reflects her twin Marina at the Jones
Institute's Mother's Day reunion picnic Saturday at the Virginia Zoo
in Norfolk.
Dr. Howard Jones attended the Jones Institute's Mother's Day
reunion.
KEYWORDS: IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION by CNB