Fulfilling the mission of FACTS “takes a village.” It’s true! As we seek to educate medical professionals about the science behind fertility awareness-based methods (FABMs), our task is monumental, since up-to-date information about FABMs is not yet part of the curriculum in most U.S. medical schools. For this reason, most people learn about FABMs from their church, their friends and, increasingly, via social media and the internet, and this is where FACTS is making a significant difference. It is our hope that, increasingly, patients will learn about FABMs from their trusted physicians and medical teams.
Through webinars, conferences, an online elective and CME courses, research reviews published in the FACTS blog, and more, we educate medical professionals so they may teach women and couples about these methods. Although our battle against misinformation and apathy is uphill, we have hope, partly because our village includes people from all walks of life who recognize the need for these modern, evidence-based methods.
At FACTS, we have the support of researchers with decades of work in fertility awareness and women’s health. We have the support of physicians and other medical professionals who are FABM educators and use these methods in clinical medicine. We also have the support of medical students turned residents who now incorporate FABMs in practice. The mission of FACTS is being fulfilled thanks to the contributions of medical and non-medical supporters of our unique goals.
Whether they have benefited personally from using FABMs or learned about fertility awareness from their community or church, people like Deacon Patrick Sena keep FACTS moving forward. A retired engineer, he is a proud supporter of FACTS, and we are pleased to feature Deacon Sena and his family this month.
Meet Deacon Patrick A. Sena
Deacon Sena and his wife, Kerrie, have been married for over forty-three years. They have four children and twenty grandchildren. After thirty-seven years of service contributing to various national security projects, Sena retired from Sandia National Laboratories as a senior engineer. In 2015, he received the Hispanic Engineer of the Year Award and was honored for “Lifetime Achievement.”
Sena earned a B.S. in mechanical engineering from New Mexico State University in 1979. Two years later, he completed a Master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University. In 2018, he earned a certificate in theology from the University of Dayton, Ohio and was ordained as a deacon. He now serves as a deacon in the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, New Mexico.
Learning about FACTS and FABMs
Deacon Sena learned about FACTS through his daughter, Emilee, who has taught couples interested in using FABMs and worked as the coordinator for a successful fertility awareness conference in New Mexico. Dr. Marguerite Duane, executive director of FACTS, was a speaker at the event and later invited Emilee to join the FACTS team as our conference coordinator. “Running conferences is expensive,” explained Duane, “so Emilee reached out to friends and family, and her parents became monthly supporters of the work of FACTS.”
Beyond their financial generosity and heartfelt support, Deacon and Mrs. Sena have also shared their gift of hospitality. They opened their home to Dr. Duane when she traveled cross-country after spending a year at the University of Utah for a research fellowship with Dr. Joe Stanford. Dr. Duane was grateful to meet “this lovely couple so committed to sharing about the beauty of our bodies and the gift of our fertility. Deacon Sena recognizes that medical professionals need to understand the role of FABMs in restorative reproductive healthcare, which is why he is committed to being a monthly donor of FACTS.”
The couple “gives generously,” Duane added, “because they’ve seen the impact of FABMs in the lives of their children, like Emilee. It is wonderful when a father wants to support the work of his daughter, knowing her work is transforming lives. This is a family issue,” she said. “It’s encouraging to have his support.”
Sena learned more about fertility awareness at a seminar he attended through the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. He and his wife now incorporate education and meaningful discussions about FABMs as part of the marriage preparation sessions they facilitate.
A Family Endeavor
Their daughter Emilee has contributed to the field of fertility awareness through multiple roles—in the workplace, in her community, and at home. While working for FACTS in 2019, Emilee planned three successful conferences, each held at a different state! Along with her husband, she taught natural family planning via the Couple-to-Couple (CCL) League for five years. Although they are not teaching couples at this time, their instruction has moved to their home. They are committed to raising their daughters “with a greater awareness and knowledge of their bodies.”
When asked about her goals and hopes surrounding fertility awareness, Emilee reflected on her journey as a mother and wife. She hopes to continue to “encourage parents to learn and teach their adolescents—as appropriate with their maturity—about their fertility and how to care for it.” She is particularly excited about “programs for young people to learn with and from their parents, such as TeenSTAR and the new program from CCL for moms and daughters.” She also hopes to “encourage medical professionals to support parents in this, and truly care for their young patients by seeing the strength of FABMs in caring for the whole person and seeking root causes to medical concerns.”
“I learned the importance of service from my dad,” recalls Emilee, “as well as pursuing truth, and using my intelligence to serve others rather than myself.” Having worked with Emilee on the FACTS Team, it is easy to see the fruit of her parents’ positive influence in nurturing her heart of service, professionalism, and excellence.
More About Patrick A. Sena
According to Emilee, her father married “his high school sweetheart during college while he studied mechanical engineering and she studied computer science. He grew up in a family of ten kids in Santa Fe, NM and learned a lot about mechanics, plumbing, and a strong work ethic from my Grandpa Sena.”
When sharing about what he sees as his mission in life, Sena’s sense of calling and love of family and people shine through. Among other things, he feels called to love his wife and family, help those in need, and to build and maintain meaningful relationships with people. He values the ability to improve life in the world, maintain good health, grow in knowledge and in faith, hope, and love.
We are grateful to Deacon and Mrs. Sena and their youngest daughter, Emilee, for their generous and encouraging support of the mission and work of FACTS.
Our donors make a difference!
The FACTS online elective is meeting the needs of medical students, residents, and health professional students in unique ways that include self-paced learning, live case studies, telemedicine, in-person options, and more! During the 2020-21 academic year, 225 students completed the course. Thanks to our donors, we expanded the elective and filled all 270 spots through May, 2022!
With your ongoing support, we hope to grow further during the 2022-23 academic year, increasing our capacity to 300 students per year.
We are grateful for monthly donors like Deacon Sena and his family, who fuel our work so we may continue to reach medical professionals with accurate information about FABMs.
Your generosity allows us to meet our students’ needs!
Your generous contribution enables us to educate and engage medical professionals and students by sharing the evidence supporting fertility awareness-based methods with them.
- $100 provides a scholarship for a student to attend a FACTS conference
- $250 covers the registration for a student to enroll in the FACTS online elective
- $500 funds a FACTS speaker to educate students about FABMs
We appreciate all our donors. Thank you!
Inspired by what you read?
You can support the ongoing work of FACTS here. To connect with a member of our team, please email development@FACTSaboutFertility.org. Interested in becoming an individual or organizational member? You can learn more and register here. To discuss with a member of our team, please email membership@FACTSaboutFertility.org.
