Getting to know BB: Tracey Sims, Surrogate Manager

Getting to know BB: Tracey Sims, Surrogate Manager

Continuing our series of getting to know the BB team a little better, Tracey has written about her role in the Brilliant Beginnings team as our Surrogate Manager.

Getting to know Tracey

I have been the Surrogate Manager here at Brilliant Beginnings since 2019. I predominantly work from home, going into the office in Burgate or going up to London as needed. Being home-based most of the time enables me to be flexible with calls but also allows me to be at home with my two dogs Carlos & Evie.

I have been married to Ben for nearly 17 years and we have four daughters together. They were the driving factor in me becoming an egg donor and surrogate myself, both of which have helped other people become parents and experience everything that becoming a parent brings with it. It is hard to describe the feeling I had when I was able to witness the life-changing moment when I helped two people to become parents. I felt so proud when I brought their daughter into the world.

My personal experience has certainly held me in good stead for what I do now. Being an egg donor gave me a good insight into fertility treatment  and surrogacy seemed like a natural progression, being able to help more people in a similar way.

I have heard a surrogacy journey being likened to a roller coaster ride, which I totally get!  You generally know how long it will last but there can be some ups and downs and some surprises along the way. I feel, having gone through a number of those twists and turns in my own journeys, that I can help prepare surrogates well for theirs.

And like all roller coaster rides – when you get to the end – a lot of people ask whether you will do it again. I have had surrogates come back, either for sibling journeys or to be rematched for second journeys. It’s the best thing ever for me when they do, because it means that they felt happy with how things went and the support they got from Brilliant Beginnings the first time.

The screening process is focussed on helping to prepare surrogates for their upcoming journeys. I help them consider their thoughts and feelings on a range of topics that they may have not even thought about before, and it really feels in depth. By the time they are matched they are very used to discussing things, so they will feel at ease having conversations about whatever comes up.

I feel that good communication is key for the whole team in any surrogacy journey. At Brilliant Beginnings our whole ethos is based on open and honest communication. I facilitate that initially with the surrogates and then the Client Managers support the whole team from match onwards. It gives that ongoing support throughout the journey, and means we can advise on how to approach things or have any awkward conversations to help facilitate positive communication.

Open communication also really helps us get the best matches for our surrogates. I am known for jumping on a call to ask either a surrogate or an intended parent for their thoughts. There are never any right or wrong answers to my questions, but I feel by asking them before we start talking about someone specific means we get more honest responses and in turn … better matches.

Within my role here at Brilliant Beginnings I get to meet some amazing people, and I am privileged to be able to play a small part in their journeys – which is now how I now get my surrogacy fix!