Helen Down
Times contributor who wrote and read a personal feature about discovering previously unknown donor-conceived nieces and nephews and the family reunion that followed.
Best podcasts with Helen Down
Ranked by the Snipd community
Feb 1, 2026 • 20min
What happened when a sperm donor met his unknown kids - The Sunday Story
Helen Down, a Times contributor who traced her brother’s 1990s sperm donations, tells a personal reunion story. She meets Leo and Lucy, explores how DNA matches revealed hidden relatives, and recounts the awkward first meeting turned warm connection. The conversation touches on inherited traits, mothers’ reactions, and the limits of tracking down distant donor siblings.
