Planned Parenthood has been my charity of choice for over 42 years.
I come from a tribe of women. I have four sisters, six nieces, and three grandnieces. My only child is a daughter. My father remarried after my mom died, and I was also fortunate to be close with my stepmom, Ruth.
Ruth became a volunteer counselor for Planned Parenthood in the mid-1970s when abortion had only been legal for a few years. She knew how important abortion access was, and wisely left out educational pamphlets on our kitchen table.
When I was a senior in high school in 1978, my older sister became pregnant. I cut school for the first (and only) time in my life and accompanied her to a Planned Parenthood clinic to get an abortion.
Although I was only 18, I remember it so clearly. I held my sister’s hand. The nurse was kind, the procedure was brief, and I gained insight I would never forget.
Two years later, I accompanied a college friend for an abortion at another Planned Parenthood clinic. She couldn’t afford the procedure, so my father, who was very progressive for his generation, generously wrote the check.
Three years after that, I held another sister’s hand during her abortion, yet again, at Planned Parenthood.
All three of these pregnancies were the result of faulty birth control; a diaphragm slip in two cases and a leaky condom in the other. Even though all three women used protection to avoid pregnancy, no form of birth control is flawless.
The impact of these experiences has lasted a lifetime. I saw firsthand how Planned Parenthood helped people I loved. As soon as I graduated college and started earning a steady income, I signed up for monthly giving. I started at $5/month, which was a lot of money at that time, and continued as a monthly giver over the next four decades, updating my address and donation as my career grew and I moved around the country.
Last month, my daughter who was home from college, needed to see her gynecologist for birth control pills. When we learned there were no appointments for two months, I knew immediately where to turn. Within three days, she was seen at a Planned Parenthood clinic and was able to get the resources and information she needed to protect herself from unintended pregnancies.
I worry about having a daughter who is a young woman living in Florida. I worry about my nieces and grandnieces. I worry about all the women living in states where total and near-total abortion bans are a reality. I hope by telling my story and encouraging others to tell theirs, we can regain the reproductive freedom our foremothers fought so bravely for.
In honor of my mom, stepmom, aunts, grandmothers, and entire tribe of women, as well as my father, husband, nephew, and his son, I pledge to always support the critical work of Planned Parenthood. Will you join me?
Sincerely,
Marty, a Planned Parenthood monthly giver for over four decades
Tags: abortionaccess, giving, donors