Alex Kamer, in memoriam
Alex, holding her son, Bear, with Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, her husband Alan, Crosby, and their dear friend and gestational carrier Leah Zeintek on April 1, 2024.
In October 2024, Alex Kamer, a member of the MFA leadership board, passed away after a short but fierce battle with cancer.
How can we possibly encapsulate the depth of Alex’s commitment to the Michigan Fertility Alliance and the infertility community? Alex’s devotion to championing what she knew was right went beyond words. Selflessly sharing her own surrogacy story, she educated others and was a driving force behind the passing of the Michigan Family Protection Act. She had a vision: Michigan families should not have to endure the same barriers to surrogacy and family-building that she and her husband Alan had faced, all due to an outdated surrogacy law. Her spirit simply would not rest until that law was changed. Through surrogacy, Alex and Alan became parents to their sons, Crosby and Barrett (lovingly called Bear), a journey that fueled her unwavering advocacy.
Alex’s heart knew no bounds when it came to fighting for families who build through assisted reproduction and surrogacy. She believed deeply that love grows exponentially when families and reproductive choices are respected and protected. Beyond her work with the Michigan Fertility Alliance, Alex was a steadfast reproductive rights advocate, a dedicated volunteer with the Children’s Heart Foundation, and a passionate voice in the national congenital heart community. Her own heart condition prevented her from carrying a pregnancy, but it never stopped her from being an incredible mother, daughter, friend, and wife.
Leah and Alex giving statements to the Michigan Senate’s Civil Rights, Judiciary, and Public Safety committee in March 2024
When Alex joined MFA in early 2021, her first email introducing her and Alan's surrogacy story was direct and quintessentially “Alex”: “I think you might be interested in working with us!” With her calm, feisty tenacity, Alex was a perfect fit for the leadership committee. She was one of the first “believers” in MFA’s mission. Even as we navigated the unknowns, she never wavered in her support for our shared goal of changing Michigan’s outdated surrogacy law. Her commitment to change and willingness to share her story are among the key reasons the Michigan Family Protection Act exists today. Alex showed us all that advocacy can be done with grit, grace, and, at times, the perfectly placed cussword.
Alex’s time on this earth — 33 years — was far too short. Her journey was tragically cut short by a brief but fierce battle with lymphoma, which ended with complications.
It would be hard to find a better person than Alex. From the moment she joined the Michigan Fertility Alliance, we knew we had gained an incomparable force. She fought for what she knew was right, and she shared her own family-building story to effect change. It has been our honor to work alongside Alex, who was instrumental in the passage of the Michigan Family Protection Act. We dedicate the MFPA, and the countless lives it will touch, to you, Alex. And to Alan, Crosby, Bear, and all of her family, thank you for sharing her with us.
November 1st, marked one year since Alex shared her testimony at the Michigan House hearing for the Michigan Family Protection Act; here's a link an NBC news piece featuring Alex’s story.