Members of the 66 Donor Club
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Some women belong to book clubs or professional societies - but this documentary features a women's group with a difference.
The 66 Club is a group of American women brought together on the internet by one man's sperm.
Eight years ago Wendy and Ryan Kramer set up a website called the Donor Sibling Registry (DSR), and the 66 Club is just one group of many who have been brought together by the double helix of their DNA.
All the women used the same anonymous donor, number 66, and their children share the same biological father.
Twenty year old Rebecca looks more like her 15-year old half sister McKenzie than her twin sister Erin.
There's now a whole generation of donor-conceived children like Rebecca and Ryan reaching adulthood, and they are looking for answers and demanding accountability.
Since launching the website, Wendy and Ryan have been responsible for bringing thousands of donor-conceived children together with their half siblings and sometimes their biological fathers.
There are now over 21,000 parents, children and donors registered with the site, and some 5,500 matches have been made all over the world.
But the DSR has also opened a Pandora's box of issues;
- about the right of donor-conceived children to know about their genetic origins;
- about potential medical issues;
- and about the lack of regulation in a multi-million dollar industry.
Despite assurances by the sperm banks that donors are "retired" after nine or ten births, one donor's sperm has resulted in over a hundred half siblings, but continues to be sold.
First broadcast Friday 5th September 2008
