In this episode, we welcome Rijon Charne, the founding attorney of Sunray Fertility Law. Rijon’s specialization in reproductive health law was a direct result of her personal experience as a cancer survivor and the educational and financial hurdles she faced during her own fertility journey. Just two days after graduating from law school, Rijon was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma. During this time, she encountered significant resistance and a lack of information regarding fertility preservation from her medical providers. Her initial oncologists failed to discuss the impact of chemotherapy on her fertility, and one even dismissed the idea of egg freezing because of the cost and time involved.
This struggle was compounded by insurance obstacles when her insurance company refused to cover her fertility preservation, claiming it was “not medically necessary”. Rijon realized the inequity of this situation, noting that while her initial treatment carried a 20% risk of infertility, a potential relapse would require chemotherapy with a nearly 100% infertility rate. These experiences sparked a “fire” in her to address these inequities through legal advocacy.
Although she originally trained to be a litigator and had ignored earlier “signs” pointing toward reproductive law during law school, Rijon ultimately felt that her cancer journey was the catalyst that put her on her destined professional path. She has since collaborated with the Alliance for Fertility Preservation to advocate for and successfully pass a House bill in Texas that requires insurance companies to cover fertility preservation for cancer patients, and now helps others navigate the legal complexities of assisted reproduction, domestic and international surrogacy, and establishing legal parentage.
Rijon Charne is the founder and managing attorney of Sunray Fertility Law, a nationwide law firm specializing in reproductive law, family formation, and women’s health. Licensed in eight states, she leads one of the fastest-growing law firms in the field, representing intended parents, surrogates, egg and sperm donors, cross-border fertility cases, and guiding families through the complex legal frameworks of assisted reproduction and establishing parentage.
Her path to becoming a fertility attorney is deeply personal. As a cancer survivor, she underwent fertility preservation before chemotherapy, only to face barriers when insurance deemed it “not a medical necessity.” That experience became the catalyst for Rijon’s passion to change the law. Through her advocacy work, Rijon helped secure passage of Texas House Bill 1649, which now requires insurance companies to cover fertility preservation for cancer patients. This legislation was a critical milestone in recognizing that fertility and family-building are essential healthcare, and it continues to shape policy conversations nationwide.
Beyond direct client service, Rijon have become a national voice in fertility and maternity rights. Her TEDx talk, “Redefining the F Word: Making Fertility a Right, Not a Privilege,” challenges the stigma and financial barriers surrounding family-building and calls for systemic reform. She is frequently featured in outlets such as NBC News, Bloomberg, People Magazine, the Wall Street Journal, and NewsNation, where she speaks to the legal, ethical, and human dimensions of family-building and maternity.
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