SWFL.io - Local NewsOn a sunny day at Lakes Park, in between spiral showdowns and end zone antics, Lauren Castagna remembers life before she was a mom.
"I was young, I was a teenager when I was diagnosed with PCOS (Polycystic ovary syndrome), and then I was in my early twenties when I was diagnosed with endometriosis," said Lauren.
Lauren's diagnoses left her with little chance of having biological children of her own.
"They said there was a small percentage that I could, but it more than likely wasn't going to be something that happened," said Lauren.
That's when she decided to foster.
"I was like, let's try it out, they'll go home, I'll raise them for a little bit, and they'll go home," said Lauren.
She started fostering one child, but she didn't stop there.
Lauren has fostered thirty-three kids in the last eight-and-a-half years. And she's not done yet.
"I've come this far; I don't know why I would stop now," said Lauren. "After having so many kids, you kind of sit and think about it, and you're like, but there are more that need a mom. There's more that need a warm home, and a hot meal, and a warm bed to sleep in, and you can't stop.
For Lauren, the greatest gift on Mother's Day, and every day, isn't the family she thought she'd have. It's the family she chose to have.
DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV.