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If there was one wish that had lived in Risa Danies Berg’s heart since childhood, it was to one day become a mother. Now at 38, she remembers how much she loved being around children, and how deeply she longed to one day have her own. “But when I was 16, I was diagnosed with PCOS. That’s when I knew the road to becoming a mother wouldn’t be easy.” And so began her story—a long and emotional journey toward the dream of becoming a mom.
Risa Danies Berg
Risa Danies Berg
After getting married and graduating to become a teacher, Risa’s desire to start a family resurfaced. That hope took her and her husband to fertility clinics in Venezuela, Colombia, and eventually to the renowned INSER clinic in Bogotá. But before IVF could begin, Risa was met with another obstacle: two large cysts in her body that put her health at risk. “My gynecologist in Aruba didn’t think they needed to be removed, but I followed my instinct,” she explains. The surgery in Colombia revealed that one of the cysts had already impacted one of her fallopian tubes—making natural pregnancy almost impossible. “I said to myself: I don’t want to give up.” An IVF treatment at INSER—costing over 20,000 florin, not including airfare or accommodation—was her only chance. So, Risa and her husband launched a creative fundraising campaign in the form of a puzzle to cover the high costs. They began selling "puzzle" pieces for 50 florin each, starting with friends and family.
But the idea took on a life of its own, going viral internationally, and even strangers pitched in to help. This is how they reached the funds they needed. People from Aruba and around the world gave their support.
In 2022, Risa’s first IVF treatment worked she got pregnant. But heartbreak followed soon after, when she suffered a miscarriage. “That moment broke me. Mentally and physically, I was drained.” Two months later came the second of the four tries included in her package and again, a loss.
“My anxiety and depression were real. I continued therapy and sought extra help in Aruba. But I didn’t want to give up.”
The third attempt also failed. “I was devastated. But my husband was my rock. He told me, ‘If you want to continue, we go on. If not, we stop.’ But I knew I had two more chances left in the package. That final try... I gave it everything.”
Risa managed to extract 24 eggs. “The treatment had been adjusted so I wouldn’t get sick. Care, faith, and perseverance got me through.” Of the 24, four were successfully fertilized. On the fourth and final attempt, their last hope, it worked.
“Finally, we reached my miracles twin babies. The pregnancy wasn’t easy. At 26 weeks, I was sent to Bucaramanga, and at 35 weeks, my rainbow babies a girl and a boy were born. I’m so thankful for the care I received. My daughter had to stay in the NICU for two weeks, while my son was at the hotel with me. I went through every kind of pain. But when we returned to Aruba with them at five weeks old, I knew we made it.”
Risa is living proof that the road to motherhood is not the same for everyone. But with faith, love, and the support—even from a community—miracles can come true. “If you’re in a very difficult process, I want you to know: the pain is real, but so is the hope.”
I was always open about our struggle with infertility and the IVF process, especially on Instagram, and that’s how I started helping many women in Aruba (even those I didn’t personally know) through Instagram. It became something I truly love; helping others reach their dream of becoming mothers too.
Oh and the puzzle that helped fund her dream? Every piece, with the name of someone who helped, now hangs beautifully framed in the nursery of Risa’s babies.
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