Thanks to your support, we were able to provide scholarships for two Hoosiers to attend the American Association of Pro-Life OB/GYN’s recent Matthew Bulfin Educational Conference in Frisco, Texas. Your support truly makes a difference!  Here are a few thoughts from one of our scholarship recipients, Gabi Dershem.

I am an Ohio Native and when pondering the question of why attending MBEC is important to me, I was reminded of this post I wrote in response to the passing of Issue 1 allowing for late-term abortions. I think it summarizes my love for women and for human life. I know that attending MBEC will give me the connections I need to be an authentically pro-life Ob/Gyn.

In response to the passing of Ohio’s Issue 1

In the wake of the world that seems to have lost its way, I want you to know that your pain is acknowledged, and your grief deeply felt. Whether you endured a gut-wrenching goodbye at six weeks or at full term, by choice or through the cruel hands of fate, your experience is valid, your emotions are real.

My heart aches for the tears you’ve shed, for the battles you’ve faced, and the profound ache that accompanies the loss of a child. It shatters me to think that Ohio’s decision today may cause you any more pain. The knowledge that your babies’ lives mattered, that you are undeniably a mother, is something I hold close to my heart.

Working within the realm of obstetrics and gynecology has shown me an undeniable truth: the sense of loss in the face of a miscarriage or abortion is tangible, raw, and real. The very essence of motherhood lies in the love you held, the dreams you nurtured, regardless of the outcome.

Yet, amidst the darkness, I want you to realize that you are not alone. Your heartbreak, your tears, have not gone unnoticed. I see your pain, I honor your grief, and I stand in solidarity with you. The lives that were lost, no matter the gestational age, held infinite worth. Let us unite in the pain of such great loss and transform it into a desire for change and for mutual love and support.

In this grief, I hope that we can unite to give a voice to the voiceless and express the love we share for children at any stage of life. Let us also have great empathy, compassion, and love for those who view this topic differently and look at them not judgmentally but from a lens of understanding. Ultimately let us honor and respect the dignity of the human person.

Motherhood lies in the love you held…
Your sorrow has not gone unnoticed…
Your child mattered…

With the greatest love,
An unapologetically pro-life woman