I am an adoptee hoping to some day find my birth mother or father. I would just like to say that I hope the system has changed its ways with regards to informing adoptees about their family history. I understand that confidentiality is important to those who do not want to be known, but at the same time, do the children not have a right to know anything about themselves or where they come from?

To be repeatedly asked what your background is and reply with "I don't know; I was adopted" time and time again has made me feel it has deprived me of my identity. I do not know who I really am and where I come from. To not know my racial/ cultural background has had a significant negative impact on me.

I don't want myself or others to continue guessing what I might be by the way I look. I want to know for sure, respond confidently and say, "..." I need it more importantly for health reasons though, so now I feel it's too late.

The answer to all my problems could have been solved long ago had I known a little bit about myself and my family (medical) history. Had I been provided this information at birth, along with the rest of my file, or even 10 years ago, maybe even 5, I believe I would be a VERY different person today... a person who would feel much better about herself.

I cannot stress enough the difference it would have made in my life to be given any pertinent or seemingly significant information that may have helped change my life for the better, as I am trying to do now. I continue to have health problems, which I suppose I will continue until I am eventually correctly diagnosed again. It's just that this time I can't afford it to be later, or it really will be too little too late. Can anybody help me, please?

© Adoption Week e-Magazine

Credits: R.T.