I was a mom with a child under the age of one and contemplating divorce from my husband when I became pregnant again. I knew right away I wasn’t in the best of life circumstances to have another child, so I dialed up my healthcare provider, Kaiser Permanente for a pregnancy test. It came back positive and when the nurse detected over the phone I wasn’t happy, she said they provide abortions as well. I made an appointment for my lunch hour and not only did the female doctor act with such compassion, the female nurse held my hand during the 2 min. procedure. Unbeknownst to them, I went right back to work.

I will forever be grateful that my decision to have an abortion was treated with professionalism, dignity, and kindness by the medical professionals who helped me. I never had a moments guilt, shame, or indecision and have stressed over and over to my now grown daughter, this is your choice, your body, your medical decision, your life…you get to call all the shots. Let’s work together to keep it legal and safe, let’s march, vote, speak out. It is a fundamental right to the pursuit of happiness to make our own child planning decisions.