Staci Swiderski: Guiding Families with Care for Nearly 20 Years

As assisted reproductive technology advances, a growing number of individuals and couples are turning to third-party reproduction options like egg donation and gestational surrogacy to expand their families. Once considered relatively rare paths to parenthood, these alternatives now allow those facing infertility or other challenges to welcome children into their lives with profound gratitude.   

In January 2007, Staci Swiderski, a remarkable and professional woman, embarked on a heartfelt mission to create an agency focused on building families through compassion, empathy, and personalized care. Now, more than 17 years later, her agency, Family Source Consultants (FSC), based in Chicago, stands tall as a premier leader in third-party reproduction—helping thousands of hopeful parents fulfill their dreams of welcoming precious children into their lives through egg donation and gestational surrogacy.   

Turning Challenges to Fuel Change   

Staci understands the yearning to grow her family after a devastating partial hysterectomy in 1998. The surgery, deemed medically necessary, involved the removal of Staci’s uterus while sparing her ovaries. Already a mother, Staci felt profound gratitude for her children but mourned the impossibility of pregnancy as she wished to expand her family.   

By 2000, Staci’s thoughts returned to growing her family. The words “gestational surrogacy” took root as a whisper of hope in Staci’s mind. Could another woman’s womb welcome an embryo created from Staci’s egg and her husband’s sperm source, giving them a biological child together?   

Staci dove headfirst into researching surrogacy to fully understand the extensive process, including the medical, legal, emotional, and financial aspects. Taking a deep breath, Staci and her husband courageously decided to attempt surrogacy independently. After weathering tremendous hardships, including financial losses, painful failed matches, and multiple embryo transfer attempts, Staci connected with an angel: a selfless friend offering to carry their precious embryo to term.    

In 2005, after years of personal struggle, Staci’s prayers were answered with the miraculous birth of her son. Holding her healthy baby, a dream that complications and hurdles had nearly prevented, felt triumphant. Almost immediately after Staci and her husband’s son was born, the thoughts of other couples yearning for parenthood filled her mind, particularly the lack of agency and resources, contrasting sharply with her family-building journey. Staci also donated her eggs to a loving couple twice after the birth of her son in 2005; her (open) donation resulted in two births for the family, their son first and daughter following, now both are teenagers.    

Transforming Hope into Reality   

Drawing on her experience as an intended parent and an egg donor and a desire to advocate for others who require third-party arrangements to build or grow their family, Staci founded FSC. She envisioned creating an agency embracing empathy, compassion, and profound communication as the guiding principles. Staci sought to support emotional wellness for all who walked the path of third-party reproduction while providing customized guidance through world-class case management.   

In 2007, Family Source Consultants opened its doors as a guiding light, welcoming those exploring egg donation and/or surrogacy. Staci managed many aspects in the early days while assembling her dream team of professionals. These professionals, sharing her passion for emotional support, melded beautifully with a commitment to ethical, responsible, and client-centered care. By early 2008, FSC celebrated assisting their first intended parents in realizing their dreams of parenthood! As nineteen new little lives entered the world that year, thanks to FSC, Staci proudly validated her life’s calling.   

“My son is my inspiration for what we do,” she says. “It’s truly awe-inspiring to see the children, born through the agency (FSC), now as teenagers!”   

FSC’s mission is to help make journeys a positive and fulfilling experience for everyone involved. Their team of experts manages every detail, ensuring customized care centered on meeting each client’s unique needs with precision and heart.    

Guiding Families Worldwide with Heart    

FSC employs specialists across three branch locations, including the Chicago, Joliet, and Miami offices. Since its launch in 2007, FSC has celebrated surpassing 1,280 births and counting, solidifying a legacy of crafting families. The agency’s catalog boasts over 150 egg donors, positioning FSC impressively at the forefront of the industry.   

Renowned as a premier surrogacy and egg donation agency successfully facilitating and fulfilling family-building journeys for so many years, intended parents worldwide continue to place their trust in the capable hands of Staci and her team, buoyed by FSC’s international reputation as we move into 2024. The team offers fluent English, Japanese, Mandarin, Spanish, French, and German services, extending their reach to over 25 countries.   

At its core, Family Source Consultants remains true to the essence Staci established at its inception: leading with heart and compassion while delivering five-star case management. Surrogates and egg donors undergo meticulous screenings to meet the highest health and emotional maturity standards necessary to fulfill this profound commitment. Mental health professionals evaluate all parties to confirm their mental preparedness for the journey ahead, while experienced reproductive attorneys draft intricate legal contracts to protect the rights of everyone involved.   

Guidance Grounded in Experience   

Pursuing the journey of third-party reproduction is a path filled with hope yet intimidating for many individuals and couples dreaming of parenthood. Armed with years of personal and professional experience, Staci and her team offer heartfelt and expert advice to those considering this route. Staci strongly urges not to lose hope. She emphasizes the importance of thorough research and listening to your inner voice when choosing the right agency, assuring that dreams of parenthood can become reality despite the inevitable challenges one may face.   

Staci acknowledges the path requires endurance, yet from hardship emerges growth. For those who persist by leveraging available resources while upholding faith in themselves and their medical team, she confidently believes milestones once appearing impossible will actualize in baby bliss.   

At Family Source Consultants, a team that is deeply knowledgeable about the complexities of third-party reproduction is ready to guide clients through every step. From the matching process to postpartum, clients are reassured by working with team members who are experts in the field. If unexpected challenges arise, FSC confronts these issues head-on, leveraging its team of professionals to carefully navigate back to the path of fulfilling parenthood dreams.   

Staci believes that the agency’s success comes from maintaining high standards of care, communication, and professionalism, ensuring continuous adaptation to industry best practices are compliant with changing regulations, also play a pivotal role in ensuring long-term success. This philosophy ensures that everyone who comes to FSC, whether as an intended parent, a surrogate, or an egg donor, finds a dedicated team supporting their journey from the initial contact. With unmatched knowledge and compassionate support, FSC establishes the benchmark for excellence in surrogacy and egg donation management, offering clarity and hope to those on their path to becoming parents.   

Nearly two decades since Staci Swiderski founded Family Source Consultants , her vision for compassionate care has fueled this agency’s ever-expanding success. Her balance of empathy and expertise has raised the bar for third-party reproduction, enriching the lives it touches. As the next chapter unfolds, FSC stands poised to meet arising needs, armed with wisdom and dedicated to nurturing life’s most precious miracles.