Egg donor from Canterbury calls for more diverse donors to help families in need
Olivia France shares her experience of egg donation and the importance of representation
Last updated 10th Nov 2025
A lecturer from Kent is encouraging people from all backgrounds to consider egg donation, as new figures reveal a lack of diversity in donor representation across the UK.
Olivia France, a lecturer in human anatomy at Kent Medway Medical School, made the decision to become an egg donor after seeing friends and colleagues face challenges when it came to starting a family.
She described egg donation "as a way to help enable others to fulfil their dreams of parenthood."
Olivia, who donated eggs twice through the London Women's Clinic and London Egg Bank, said: "You would want other people out there to try and help make your dream come true. It's putting yourselves in the position of other people."
The need for more diverse egg donors
Egg donation is increasingly important for many prospective parents, with 1 in 153 children in the UK now conceived using donor eggs or sperm, according to new figures by the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority.
The HFEA is urging the stark need for greater diversity among egg donors:
HFEA research shows 89% of UK egg donors are White, which can limit options for individuals or couples seeking a donor who shares their ethnic background or characteristics.
"This is why diversity within egg donation is so important," Olivia said. "For recipients and potential children, it can provide them with more of a sense of belonging when they see similar characteristics in the donors or shared heritage."
She explained that a lack of awareness around donation may be a factor in the disparity, as well as potential cultural or religious concerns.
Increasing education and understanding about the process, she suggested, could help reduce these barriers and encourage more people from diverse backgrounds to become donors.
Olivia highlighted her participation in the 'freeze and share' programme, which allowed her the option to preserve her own eggs for potential future use.
Helping others achieve their dreams of having a family
For Olivia, one of the most rewarding parts of her journey was knowing her eggs had been chosen for a fresh embryo transfer, where the fertilisation and implantation process takes place soon after retrieval.
"There are potentially going to be little people with versions of me out there," she reflected. "It's really heart-warming to know there are now people who are making their dream come true of having a family, and that I've managed to help them do that."
Olivia hopes her story will inspire others to consider egg donation, not only as a way to give families the chance to start anew, but to help address the lack of donor diversity.
If you’d like to find out more about the egg donation process, you can visit the London Egg Bank website or consult your local fertility clinic.