Intended parents

Des Kennedy

Doing their journey in Canada

About them

We're Des and John from Ireland - a doctor and a professor who met on a rugby pitch and built a life full of love, laughter and family. We're so excited to start our next adventure: welcoming a child into our hearts through surrogacy.

Relationship status

Life partner

We’ve been happily together for nine wonderful years, and our story began in a way that still makes us smile — on a rugby pitch in Dublin, Ireland. From that first meeting, there was an instant connection, and we’ve rarely been apart since.

Our journey together has been filled with adventure — from hiking through Komodo Island to standing beneath the Northern Lights in Iceland — but through it all, what has mattered most is being side by side, sharing life’s moments, big and small. Whether we’re cooking dinner, exploring new places, or simply laughing together on a quiet evening at home, we’re always reminded that love and companionship are at the heart of everything we do.

Now, as we take the next step in our journey, our greatest dream is to grow our family. Becoming parents is something we’ve both hoped for deeply — to share our love, our sense of adventure, and the stability and joy we’ve built together with a child.

Their journey

Home area

99 Dalcassian Downs, Glasnevin, Dublin 11, Ireland

Approximate area

Journey country

Canada

Financial preparedness

We have been planning surrogacy for many years and have substantial funds to all usual and unforeseen costs of this pregnancy. We are very keen to make sure that our wonderful surrogate is as comfortable as possible throughout this entire process.

Embryos

Yes.

3 PGT-A tested embryos

Clinic

Generation Fertility

Lawyer

Sara Cohen

What they're looking for

Their hopes and requirements for a surrogate

Requirements

Our clinic has recommended a few important health criteria to ensure the safest and healthiest journey for everyone involved. Ideally, we’re hoping to match with a surrogate who:

Is in good overall health
Is ideally under the age of 42
Has a BMI under 35
Does not have diabetes
Does not smoke or use illicit drugs

Above all, we are looking for someone who feels emotionally and physically ready for this journey — someone who values openness, trust, and shared care throughout the process.

The relationship we hope to build

We don’t have a long list of personal preferences — we’re really just hoping to connect with someone kind, open, and ready to share this experience together.

A healthy lifestyle is always a bonus (we both love keeping active and know how good it feels!), but we also know that nobody’s perfect and that balance is what truly matters.

When it comes to personality, family, or communication style, we have no fixed expectations. We’re happy to take the lead from you — whether you’d like regular check-ins or prefer to keep things simple and occasional, we’ll happily row in behind whatever makes you feel most comfortable and supported throughout the journey.

Vaccination information

Ideally, we would love for our surrogate to have received their full childhood vaccinations. This is simply out of care and caution for the health and safety of the baby, as well as for your own wellbeing during pregnancy. Beyond that, we’re open and flexible — happy to discuss any details or preferences together to make sure everyone feels comfortable and supported.

Views on termination

We believe that every child is a gift, and we would love and cherish any child that comes into our lives. That said, we also recognize the importance of being realistic and responsible when it comes to health and safety. If significant genetic or hereditary conditions were identified during screening, or if there were ever a risk to the surrogate’s health, we would be supportive of termination.

The intended parents

Des Kennedy(He/Him)

43 years old

Communicates in

English

Occupation

Family Physician (Doctor)

Religion

Catholic

Sexual orientation

Gay

Fun facts about me

I'm not very coordinated, i decided to take up rugby at 33 years of age, I broke 4 bones in 3 months of training and never even played a match (it was a short but glorious career)

Ever since we first saw each other on the rugby pitch in Dublin, Ireland, we have rarely been apart, in body and soul.

My favourite movie is The Lord of the Rings, and my favourite childhood book was The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I explored so many wardrobes as a child, but never found the snow-covered landscape (I'm still looking)

What friends say

“
Honest, caring, hardworking, kind and good fun!
”

(He/Him)

43 years old

Communicates in

English

Occupation

University Professor

Religion

Non-religious

Sexual orientation

Gay

Fun facts about me

As a kid my party trick was that I could move my ears up and down without touching them....like Mr. Bean...

I’ve dislocated my left knee three times and my right knee twice playing sports… so stairs and I are no longer on speaking terms.
I once met and had dinner with an astronaut - that was pretty cool.

I once played Andy Murray (Olympic & Wimbledon tennis player) in a game of tennis.....I can't play tennis...remember - knees.

A few years ago, I worked on a research project studying hibernating bears—turns out, they’ve perfected what I aim for every Sunday afternoon: eat loads, nap for six months!

Interests and hobbies

I'm quite the sports nerd. I grew up in a family of sports fans, and it has certainly rubbed off on me. Once upon a time, I played hurling (a Gaelic game) at quite a high level for my county - but I support Kilkenny, where my mother is from - I love that both she and I have this connection, it is very important to me. In the past, I also played rugby (where Des and I met) - captaining the club I played for for many years, and soccer. I was born into a family of Evertonians (which is actually based in Liverpool, England), and beyond Des, it is a love of mine. Like me, our future kids will have no choice other than to support Everton...I'm sorry. Beyond sport, I have a real keen interest in hiking - I've been a scout since the age 7 and I'm still an active volunteer within my local scout group. Scouting has given me so much, opening my eyes to the beauty of the world and igniting a fire for exploration and adventure, which I can't wait to share with my kids.
Finally, art! I have been passionate about art since I can remember. I'm a keen watercolour painter and particularly enjoy painting landscapes and the beauty of nature.

I also LOVE the Lord of the Rings - books and films!!

What friends say

“
....a goofball, who is a little bit eccentric. I am a scientist, and sometimes stereotypes can be accurate...
Beyond that, they would describe me as fun, loving, caring, and hardworking.
”

Their story

Questions & answers

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