Thousands Flock to Las Vegas Clinic to Get Pregnant
Reported May 25, 2011
LAS VEGAS — It may not be the most common way to bring money into the local economy but through his work, a local doctor is bringing in millions to Las Vegas.
Dr. Geoffrey Sher is a fertility expert and patients from all over the world spend thousands to visit his clinic in Las Vegas for a chance at bringing new life into the world.
Dr. Sher was most recently instrumental in helping a couple get pregnant. The couple had initially been given the wrong embryo by another doctor. The woman, Carolyn Savage, continued with the pregnancy and then handed over the baby to his parents. After that chances for her own baby seemed slim but Dr. Sher made it possible through a surrogate.
A gift from God is how 41-year-old Colleen Ulrich describes 18-month-old daughter Alexandra Rose.
“She is as much fun as we could have ever imagined,” said Colleen Ulrich, Alexandra’s mother.
But it wasn’t easy. After several failed attempts to get pregnant in Texas, Ulrich knew time was running out. That’s when she heard about Dr. Geoffrey Sher in Las Vegas and his high success rate. A few months later, she was pregnant with her daughter.
“When they called and told me it was very surreal. It think people don’t understand it’s just the impossible,” Ulrich said.
Now she’s back for a chance at a second child and knew Dr. Sher was her only option.
“We’ve been blessed in having been influential in the birth of more than 16,000 babies and word of mouth is a very strong influence,” said Dr. Sher.
Dr. Sher has been in the forefront of research and technology for decades.
“People are coming here for access to technology that they can’t get anywhere else in the world as easily as they can get it from us since we pioneered it,” said Dr. Sher.
Sixty percent of his patients are from out-of-state and out of the country. Forty-one-year-old Simone Rillstone of New Zealand is one of those patients.
“You are spending a lot of money and a lot time to come here so you want to make sure that you are taking the best option,” said Rillstone.
She will have to make four trips to Las Vegas for treatment and stay at least 10 days each time.
“It’s not a cheap option for us. We call it the million dollar baby,” said Rillston.
From airline costs to hotel rooms, Dr. Sher’s office estimates his patients pumped more than $3.8 million into the local economy in 2009.
“But far better for Las Vegas aside from the money that is brought in is the reputation that this city is on the move,” Dr. Sher said.
It’s the kind of reputation that’s helping an entire city all while helping create new miracles. This isn’t the only Sher Insinuate for Reproductive Medicine. There are eight around the country.
Credits: By Caroline Bleakley, Melissa Duran and for more details: http://www.8newsnow.com/story/14672413/thousands-have-flocked-to-las-vegas-clinic-to-get-pregnant