Sperm donation: 'There's nothing to fear'

"It's just sperm. That's all you're giving."

That's the no-nonsense view on sperm donation according to Ben Mays.

And he should know. Without his parents getting help from a donor, he would never have been born.

Now he's backing a campaign to try to boost donations.

"You can make a massive difference to someone's life."

At the moment, there are only nine registered donors at Britain's national sperm bank in Birmingham.

It's thought a law change which removed a man's right to stay anonymous might be stopping people coming forward.

Ben's parents had wanted kids for years

"There are thousands of families in this country who, if it wasn't for sperm donors wouldn't have the children they were desperate for," says 26-year-old Ben.

"I know there's a worry there's going to be this kid knocking on your door in 18 years time saying 'Hi dad' but it's really not like that.

"I've never, never been particularly interested [in finding out]. My parents are my parents whether it's biological or otherwise."

The message to people put off donating is clear.

"You can bring that happiness into someone's life and really have no further commitment."

Ben and his girlfriend Steph

But like it or not, it's very hard to have a serious conversation about sperm donation without someone wanting to make a joke.

Ben's not fussed: "If you're joking about it, just go and do it.

"You're probably only going to waste it in a tissue later aren't you?

"I've probably cracked jokes about myself. It will always have a bit of stigma but it doesn't bother me."

Becoming a donor isn't as easy as you might think. Men have to have months of tests and most people are rejected because their sperm isn't strong enough.

You do get paid £35 per clinic visit but the national sperm bank thinks appealing to male pride will be better than aiming for their wallets.

So the big question - would Ben become a donor?

"I hadn't ever considered it. But I didn't realise there was such a shortage - so yeah, I will go and see if I'm eligible.

"Someone's done a favour for me so if I could do it for someone else, that'd be nice."

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