For Stacey Robert-Tobin, infertility is a deeply personal issue.
And now, the St. Clair College professor is being recognized by the province with the Queen Elizabeth II Ontario Medal for Good Citizenship for her ongoing efforts to support those who, like her, suffer with infertility.
"It was a very, very nice surprise. I was very humbled by it," Robert-Tobin said.
"You're not doing anything to try and get an award. You're literally just doing things in the community that need to be done because there's a need for them," said Robert-Tobin. "When you go through this experience of receiving this award, you have a moment to step back and look at everything and say I'm just glad that I was able to be there for almost the past 10 years to provide what was needed in the community and to help other people."
Robert-Tobin had her own issues with infertility, struggling for years and feeling alone and isolated. After realizing there weren't any support groups locally, she started one called Fertility Friends in 2017.
"I truly believe in the long run actually it has been very beneficial to me because I went through a long battle with infertility and in an effort to kind of deal with that, I wanted to find some healthy outlets," she said. "I started that group out of my own need for support because there was no support in the community all the way up to Toronto."
Since then, the Fertility Friends has grown to more than 800 members who meet weekly as part of the free peer support group.
One in 6 women globally have infertility issues – and Robert-Tobin wants them to know they're not alone in their battle.
"The tension and the isolation that it can put on a person or even just between the couple can sometimes be overwhelming," Robert-Tobin said. "It's super important that they have another outlet and support system to get through that. Unless you've been through it, it's impossible for you to understand how it feels."
"If your goal is to have children, we're here to support that."
Robert-Tobin has a background in law enforcement with the Canada Border Services Agency and has been teaching criminal and civil law, social justice, sociology and psychology in the Protection, Security and Investigation and Police Foundations programs at St. Clair College since 2013.
"I always go to work with a smile on my face," she said. "Everybody who knows me knows I love my students. I love my classroom. It brings me great joy."
Robert-Tobin is also the Southwestern Ontario representative for Fertility Matters.
April 19 to 25 marks National Infertility Awareness Week in Canada, and she believes the years of advocacy helped her with her own desire to bring life into the world.
"It's blessed me in my own life – taking that negative experience initially for myself and then being able to channel that energy into something really positive and helping other people," she said. "I think it has allowed me to now benefit from that positive energy because I have a daughter and a son, and I attribute those blessings to the energy that I poured into that group."
Robert-Tobin received the award from Lieutenant Governor Edith Dumont during a special ceremony at Queen's Park in Toronto on April 14, alongside 20 Ontarians being honoured for their public service. The award, first presented in 1973 by Queen Elizabeth II, is Ontario's second-highest civilian honour.
"The award is just icing on the cake. But like I said, it gave me an opportunity to stand back and look and say, wow, there's been babies born out of this group and I've been able to make some amazing friends," Robert-Tobin said.
"And people should know that there is a support system that exists in the community if they need help."
