Carrot member spotlight: Kirsten, egg freezing journey in the UK

Kirsten Dewar, Senior Global Sales Director at Dataminr, was just about to start treatment for egg freezing when she learned that her company launched with Carrot. She reached out to the Carrot team and quickly confirmed that she could use her benefits at that point in her journey. She talked with us about connecting with Carrot’s Care Team, sharing her experience with colleagues, and reflecting on how having access to fertility benefits has impacted her life. 

Tell us a little about your experience using Carrot.

The part that I got to benefit from wasn’t only the program itself but also the customer service — which was fantastic. Everyone was really responsive and so understanding of the stresses that come with a journey like this.

What did the Carrot team help you with?

They helped me get set up and understand the rules and what can be reimbursed and what can’t be. One thing that I don’t take for granted is that Carrot is an American company, but there was a real understanding and real insight into how things work in the UK. There’s clearly a lot of work that’s gone into your non-U.S.-based program, eligible clinics, and processes. The laws are different for fertility treatments in different countries. For example, right now in England, you can only freeze your eggs for 10 years. The Carrot Team had a really thorough understanding of all of the processes, and they resolved everything quickly, including my questions and reimbursements. It was overall a slam dunk from a customer service standpoint.

Can you share more about your decision to pursue egg freezing?

I’m 31 years old. I had started to think about it about a year ago. It became clear to me that if the time is right and you have the disposable income to do it, it’s a good thing to do if you can. So I decided to put the money aside — and then Carrot came in. If we’d had Carrot sooner, I would have done it earlier because I wouldn't have had to save for a year. I ended up saving enough for the procedure then I got reimbursed the vast majority of that. If I’d had Carrot when I began the egg freezing process, I also would have had a little more information in regards to which clinics to go to. Finding a doctor was the hardest part of the process.

Have you talked with other employees about your or their experience with Carrot?

I’ve always made a point of being quite vocal about these things. The more open you are about fertility issues, the more you realize how many people around you have the same problem, and the better discourse you can create around fertility. For me, that was really the key, and I’ve talked about it within my company. I would definitely say that I fall into that category of the occasionally “over-sharing” boss/colleague! It’s especially important to not just talk about it with female colleagues. If anything, I think the men learned more from my treatment than the women did! I was quite shocked at how little even my own father knows about women’s fertility.

Did anything surprise you about your experience with egg freezing?

The one thing I can say is that after my first appointment, where I learned how the treatment works, what’s going to happen afterward, and how much it costs, I walked out feeling incredibly empowered to make my own decisions about my life. It was a really good feeling. I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel. I thought I was going to feel a bit nervous, and I was especially nervous about being overly medicated with all the injections. The clinic was reassuring and answered all my questions really well. Today, I feel much more relaxed about my love life and about my career, because I know that no matter what happens, I have options and will be a Mummy one day. 

What has your experience at Dataminr been like overall in terms of benefits?

I have been at Dataminr for five years, and it has been an incredibly fulfilling experience working for such a mission-driven company. One of the highlights for me has been the perks the company offers. I have a subscription to Daily Yoga, access to Headspace, fantastic private healthcare, and we now have Carrot. There are a lot of companies that say they take care of their employees, but there are, I think, very few who put their money where their mouth is. And Dataminr is a company that puts its money where its mouth is when it comes to the welfare of its employees. That’s why I’ve stayed for five years and continue to proudly represent this company looking to bring about positive change in the world. At Dataminr, the work is interesting, the people are kind, and the perks are fantastic.

If you want to learn more about bringing inclusive fertility benefits to your global employees, get in touch with us.

If you’re a Carrot member and would like to share your experience with us, please let us know here.