Testimonial: Becoming an adoptive parent with a chronic illness

I believed for a long time that because of CF, I would immediately be refused the possibility of applying for adoption, but that did not stop me and I continued the process.

The medical form, to be filled out by our doctor, is quite simple. Here are, in summary, some questions that can be found there:

• Do we have a disease? If yes, which one?
• In general, does our health condition allow us to take responsibility for a child?
• Have we already been referred to a specialist? Which one?
• According to the doctor, is there a medical or social contraindication to our project of becoming a foster family for the purpose of adoption?

In our case, the social worker responsible for our prequalification contacted my doctor (my CF pneumologist) and asked him another set of questions. I do not know all the questions, but she told me that she had, among other things, checked whether I was in a position, with relatively stable physical health, to accompany a child until the age of 18. After giving birth, my FEV1 went back to almost what it was before, around 95%. I repeat, I am a relatively lucky and healthy CF person!

Therefore, your doctor's answers about your health condition will greatly influence whether or not you adopt. Also, I am not suggesting that you do these steps as a single person if you have CF. In our case, the solidity of my boyfriend in the event of a medical complication on my side weighed heavily in the balance. We need to demonstrate more than anyone that we are able to take care of a child and that we have resources should something happen to us. Adoption is a privilege, not a right...

So can you adopt a child even if you have CF? Yes Under any conditions? NO!

Before you go there in your efforts, sit down with your doctor to see what he thinks, because your dream of parenthood is a bit in his hands... and in yours, because it is a life project to support a child who will have a life path that is a little different and certainly more difficult than a “normal” child.

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