When we were doing a project on the human body in my class last term, my teacher started talking about inheriting things from your parents, like the size and shape of ear lobes.

I wondered how I could know where my ear lobes came from, so I said, "what about me? I'm a DI child." My teacher asked me if I would like to tell the other children about DI. I tried to but I couldn't remember it all, so he helped explain. Then we moved on to something else.

Afterwards one girl said she wouldn't like to be a DI child because you might catch germs from the donor. I told her not to be so stupid.

Susannah (aged 10)

Susannah told me about this incident about two days after it had occurred. She was very matter of fact and more keen to give me her scathing opinion of the child who thought donors could pass on germs. I felt pleased that we had told the teacher in advance, and that he had handled it so naturally, thus normalising Susannah's and her class mates' perception of DI. Susannah is a popular girl in her class, and there is no sign that her friends have paid much attention to this. The are all more interested right now in Oasis, flared trousers, and Manchester United.

Olivia