Click the image above to submit your own kind message to people in the abortion caregiving community.
You treated me with so much care. You picked up that I was confident in my choice and made me feel empowered, not just supported. There was one male in the room - the anaesthetist, a nice older man. He told me that he’d give me the best nap of my life and the last thing I would feel was his hand on my shoulder and it would stay there until I woke up. The procedure was 15 mins of their life but felt like it saved mine. Thank you.
~ A grateful supporter in Australia
I was thankful the staff was caring and nonjudgmental. I am extremely thankful.
~ A grateful supporter in the U.S.
The Sweet Feminist on Instagram posted this secret sent to her by an abortion provider: “I want to quit, but I am one of the few remaining abortion providers in the South.” Within 24 hours, hundreds of people shared comments of loving kindness. Click here to see a collection of those kind comments.
You help women like me make the choice I deserve to make about my body. You make such a difference in this world, empowering women to make a choice. Thank you.
~A grateful supporter in Massechusetts
You are needed! Your work is incredible, I'm grateful.
~ A grateful supporter in Brazil
My doctors and care team, including the anesthesiologists, were all so supportive and non-judgemental. One of the nurses gave me two grief stones after my procedure, which helped me process my experience and grieve in all the ways I needed to. I'll always be grateful for the brave and compassionate work abortion providers do daily.
~ A grateful supporter in Pennsylvania
Thank you to the amazing, kind and gentle women who made it easier for me. You really made me feel safe and trusting of myself and my decision.
~ A grateful supporter in New York
Please be kind to yourself. The care you are providing requires so much strength. I thank you for providing care to those who had to make the most difficult decision one can make, and for honouring their decision, for treating them with love and care, and for changing their lives for the better. Thank you for doing the impossible, the care you provide is just as important as any other kind of healthcare — it requires those with hearts of gold. Thank you.
~ A grateful supporter in Canada
Thank you. Thank you for providing me choice. Thank you for providing me with the power of decision.
~ A grateful supporter in New Jersey
Thank you truly for what you do. From the bottom of my heart.
~ A grateful supporter in Canada
Your support and dedication to helping women does not go unnoticed. You are truly angels.
~ A grateful supporter in the U.S.
THANK YOU. YOU ARE AMAZING. YOU SHOW COMPASSION, LOVE, DEVOTION, KINDNESS, UNDERSTANDING and HOPE. XXX
~A grateful supporter in the UK
You guys deserve more credit. Never had a bad experience with anyone from that field of work. You’re all so kind and you play a massively important role in healthcare, thank you.
~ A grateful supporter in Canada
We thank you for helping us in doing what you do, for the resources you provide, and for the constant reassurance that we aren’t alone.
~ A grateful supporter in Nevada, U.S.
My first time around I was treated terribly. But this time I couldn't be more grateful, I have been given a step by step rundown of everything that will happen with my body, been given helplines, and been given pain relief in my actual pack! I am unbelievably grateful for the treatment I have gotten the second time around, it made me so much less anxious about everything following my first experience. Thank you for everything you do, you have made such a positive impact on what would be a nasty situation.
~ A grateful supporter in the U.K.
I appreciate those who provide these services everyday, and those who are trying to help in illegal states to give women access to them, regardless of how it happened.
~ A grateful supporter in California
Thank you so much for being willing to help women like me in a time when abortion has become so polarized.
~ A grateful supporter in the Pacific Northwest, U.S.
Thank you for providing safe, effective, and compassionate care to those of us who decided not to walk in motherhood. I felt no judgment and nothing but support through each decision. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.
~ A grateful supporter in Delaware
I’m very grateful for the clinics privacy because it was an OBGYN office so there weren’t protesters outside. The doctor showed compassion towards me and wasn’t judgmental.
~A grateful abortion seeker in Colorado
It sucks that my first two pregnancies were unplanned and unwanted. What doesn’t suck are the healthcare providers who helped me through it both times. They were the best doctors I’ve ever had and I’m so grateful for their non-judgmental, gracious, loving care.
~ A grateful abortion seeker
I just wanted to send LOVE, LOVE, LOVE to all clinics and allies enduring the impacts of truly dehumanizing legislation sessions. I also am sending appreciation and gratitude to those making gains, creating wins, and foraging an intersectional path forward for us all. I hope we all stay focused on our collective liberation rather than isolating or walking away.
~A supporter in the U.S.
Thank you for fighting for us and taking the backlash that comes with the job. It’s not any easier for you than it is for us. We appreciate your support for us!
~ A kind supporter in Florida
Thank you to all abortion providers for supporting us through difficult decisions.
~ A kind supporter in the U.K.
I’m so glad I live in a country with access to abortion and support care.
~ A kind supporter in Australia
There is no greater gift than someone sitting with you and saying, “I see you. I believe you. I trust you. I’m with you. You know what you need and I will hold your hand as we get there together.” Abortion providers do that every single blessed day. They put their lives and bodies on the line for liberation. They make living full lives possible. They sing the song of community care. They help me believe in a future where we can all get free.
~ Kelsey in the US
Abortion providers are some of the most fearless people I have ever met, full of passion, heart, and compassion. Sending love and gratitude to all abortion providers.
~ Margaret in Washington, DC
My amazing providers made me feel so comfortable and did not pass judgment on me for what I was doing. I felt the support that I was lacking from my significant other. My abortion gave me a second chance at life and to live the life I had always dreamed of.
~A Kind Supporter in the South
Abortion providers make the world a better place. We are thankful for the doctors, nurses, doulas, escorts, abortion funds, advocacy groups, resource organizations, practical support organizations, counselors, supporters and others who fight daily for abortion.
~ A kind supporter in Missouri
Thank you to all of the brave abortion care providers now more than ever. Because of you all, we have autonomy to make the best decisions for our bodies, families and futures.
~ A kind supporter in the US
I unexpectedly became pregnant in between birth controls. If it were not for providers helping me to get an abortion, I don’t know where my life would be. I was so scared. I am a disabled person and I can barely care for myself at times, let alone a child. The support I received from the staff was everything I hoped for. I left with a huge weight and guilt lifted off my shoulders.
~ A kind supporter in South Carolina
Not only do abortion providers support folks in living life on their own terms and providing essential care, they do so despite having to face medically unnecessary hurdles, harassment and continuous attacks on abortion access.
~A kind supporter in California
I was trained as a clinic escort back in 2015. The clinic is so dear to my heart and I am happy I was able to say thank you. Thank you to all abortion providers.
~ A kind supporter in New York City
Providing abortion care is an act of love, trust, compassion, justice and liberation.
~ Dr. Brooke Haag in the US
Thank you, especially now. Even in the face of harassment, political interference and risk of criminalization, you still show up to provide compassionate and crucial abortion care. We love you and we see you.
~ Em Jane in Indiana
Abortion providers are compassionate people helping women through the most difficult decision of their lives. They are as necessary as any other specialist in modern medicine.
~Karan Dixon
An Abortion Provider saved my life! Also do us a favor, stop saying ‘ProLife’ and call it what it is: antichoice 💚
~ Kristi Kehrer in the US
If I couldn’t safely terminate this pregnancy I honestly don’t think I could be around for my three children’s futures, whether it would be due to medical problems from the pregnancy or my mental health. Thank you.
~ A kind supporter in the United Kingdom
Abortion care providers are angels in disguise! From the bottom of my heart, they have my full gratitude and respect ❤️
~ A kind supporter in the North of Ireland
I had to drive 2 hours to Phoenix to get my procedure but I’m really glad that I did and I am glad that I chose the clinic that I did choose. They were so so so sweet and kind and caring. I have never felt more safe in what would be such a vulnerable position. My doctor made sure I was fully pain free before she began. I was in a yellow cheery room, and “fell asleep” talking to a nice nurse while I was staring at the ceiling where they had a beautiful miniature ballerina paper doll dangling for you to relax to. They also had music playing. I feel for all of the women who are faced with making this decision and like me had to go through it alone, but if you ever need a listening ear or are in AZ and need help, I HIGHLY recommend the clinic I went to.
~ A person sharing about Camelback Family Planning
Abortion providers are passionate, caring, skilled professionals who believe in the health, well-being and dignity of every patient. They trust their patients and help them every day. Thank you!
~ Cait B.
Thank you for saving my life. You all are angels, and I am so grateful for the work that you do.
~ A kind supporter in Texas
I am so sorry that you have to deal with so much stress in this hypocritical country! You are helping so many others so please continue to do so.
~Jennifer in Florida
I could be dead without my abortion providers. That’s all I’ve got. The whole team literally saved my life.
~ Heather Hyden
I am grateful for all abortion providers out there. I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to get an abortion. Thank you for all you do!
~A kind supporter in Pennsylvania
Shout out to the: clinic managers who keep things moving; anesthesia providers who center patient comfort; doulas who provide kind words and a hand to hold; techs who know what we need even before we have to ask; abortion funds who help alleviate financial burdens; front desk staff who provide a warm and welcoming smile; ultrasonographers who see things with greater than 20/20 vision; every person who works at an abortion clinic who knowingly puts themselves at risk in order to care for others in need.
~ Gabriela Aguilar
Thank you, you help women and families.
~A kind supporter in France
Abortion providers show up every day to provide compassionate care based in trust and respect; they have done this for generations and will continue for many more. They are our family, friends and neighbors; they are clinicians, counselors, administrators and advocates; they are people who have had abortions, experienced pregnancy loss and who are parenting. And whether you need a routine exam, you’re facing a crisis, or you need a non-judgmental conversation about your options, abortion providers offer support and care in big and small moments. Abortion providers continue to trust us to write our own futures. They continue to advocate for us and find innovative ways to support their communities. They deserve a standing ovation and all of our support. Providers, you are our frontline heroes, our fiercest champions, and the rock stars who give people the support to shape the lives they dream of. We thank you, we celebrate you, and we proudly declare our love to those who show us what it looks like to put trust, love and a belief in a liberated future into practice.
~ From “A Love Letter to Providers” by Erin Grant and Nikki Madsen
I’m not sure I’ve ever told anyone this, but after my abortion, the doctor asked if he could give me a hug. I said yes — he was very nice and it wasn’t creepy. He said, ‘It’s all going to be okay.’ He saved my life that day.
~ Audrie
My mother had a safe but illegal abortion when she was 18 and a freshman in college. She went on to finish school, have a planned family, and fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. My deepest gratitude to the doctor who helped my mom early one morning in 1961, for putting your practice on the line, for getting my brilliant mother’s life back on track . . . and for my existence.
~Ellen Forney
The ‘abortion idustry’ is comprised of healthcare workers who could all make more money and face less harassment doing literally anything else. Abortion providers do the work because they are mission driven.
~ Hannah Dismer
It’s a holy thing to provide care, and abortion providers do it with compassion, courage and grace.
~ Ohio RCRC
As a family doctor who often sees distraught women with an unwanted pregnancy, I so appreciate your work which gives them options and empowers them to manage their life journey. Keep going, we need you!
~ Laura N. in Minnesota
Abortion providers show up for their communities despite regular attacks from protestors, misogynists, white supremacists and craven politicians. They need all of our support. Proudly declaring our love for abortion providers is so important!
~ Jenny Dodson
Abortion providers are some of the most dedicated clinicians I know who serve with moral clarity and sense of purpose.
~ Connie L.
Dear providers of abortion across Australia — we see you, we appreciate you, we thank you AND we celebrate you!
~ Staff of Children by Choice in Australia
In the days following the senseless murder of Dr. Tiller, we were all stunned, heartbroken, and angry. In speaking with providers in the days and weeks following, we expressed our gratitude for their work, especially for persevering during such a difficult time. As one of the providers I spoke with said in response, "we are just trying to do what Dr. Tiller would want us to do: help women." That sums it all up. My dad doesn't believe in Father's Day or Mother's Day because he believes that every day should be Father's Day and Mother's Day. The same is true that every day should be National Day of Appreciation of Abortion Providers. Because every day, abortion providers around the country perform services that many will not; they do so in the face of adversity and violence (or potential violence); and they do so with compassion. Without their courage, commitment, and skill, the legal right to abortion in this country would be meaningless. So in addition to thanking abortion providers today, we should thank them every day.
~ Brigitte Amiri
Abortion providers are magic. Your joy and love are irrepressible and invincible. Thank you one million times for everything you do, all the abortions you provide, all the care and love you put into work. Thank you for doing this work and thank you for caring for yourselves—through unionizing your workplace, getting better pay, taking time off, or whatever else you do for yourself. You make the whole world better.
~ Maia Baker, Boston MA
Abortion providers face constant harassment, threats of violence, and political interference — but they never fail to provide compassionate, quality care to their patients.
~ A supporter with the ACLU
The abortion providers I’ve known throughout my life have been and continue to be some of the most positive and caring folks I’ve ever met. I can’t imagine the world without y’all’s ability to provide for your communities. The fights of today lend way to the futures we all deserve and I aspire to have the kind of impact on forming that future that abortion providers do. Making sure the funds have the resources they need is only one step, we have to have the backs of our providers and make sure your needs are met holistically. Sending y’all love, light, and as much of your favorite food as you’d like.
~ An admirer from New York
Abortion providers are deserving of love, respect, rest, and LOUD support. Truly, your work keeps the world spinning; the compassion you bring to patients, even often in the midst of personal stress and societal catastrophe, is an incredible gift. Thank you for the necessary and sacred work of providing abortions.
~ Cailin Potami of Astoria
Every day, abortion providers across the country provide essential health care to patients — with compassion and without judgment. They do this while navigating growing barriers to care that make it increasingly difficult to provide abortion. We express our gratitude to the trusted, credentialed, highly-trained people who believe in the health, well-being and dignity of every patient every day. We are sending our love to every abortion provider — abortion doulas, doctors, advanced practice clinicians, nurses — who are each a key part of the ecosystem of abortion access.
~ Anne Udall
I don't remember when my mother first told me that she had had an abortion before my sister and I were born. It's just something that I've always known. I do remember talking to my parents about going on birth control when I was just 16. I remember the look of worry that flashed across my mother's face before she said "of course, I'll make the doctor's appointment for you." And I remember my father telling me that if I ever got "in trouble," that they would take me to the very best doctor so that I could "get it taken care of safely." I grew up in a world of possibilities. Where the only question was what I wanted for my life and what path I would take. That I could decide to have an abortion, if I needed one, was never a question. And therefore, something I could take for granted. So when asked to articulate what I would say to the men and women who work day in and out to make sure that I and so many other women have the ability to determine our own life courses, I turned to my mother (who else?) and asked her what she would say to the doctor who performed her abortion. She didn't hesitate, "I would thank him. He gave me the ability to go on living the life I wanted. I didn't have to take a detour that I wasn't prepared for. It gave me and your father the time we needed to decide to have a family when we were ready. I can't imagine my life any other way." Neither can I. So thank you for being there for my mother when she needed you. And thank you for continuing to be there for me, in case I need you. And thank you for being there for women like me and my mom so that we can lead the lives we envision for ourselves and our families.
~ Dahlia Ward
I have received two abortions from Planned Parenthood, and I’m so grateful for both of them. My life is wonderful today because of those abortions. I’m so grateful. I know it takes immense courage for your to go to work each day. You’re making the world a better place.
~Amanda M
Abortion providers are angels. They provide life-affirming care that directly enables people to engage in the self-determination of their future. They deserve appreciation every single day of the year. I’ve been immensely lucky in my life that I am friends with abortion providers. They remind me what true strength, selflessness and bravery look like. They provide care for patients in the face of unspeakable violence and hostility, and the world is a better place because of them.
~ Caroline Reilly
My dad was an abortion provider who wore a Kevlar vest to work & lived in a gated community. Despite all the harassment he faced, he provided abortion care in central and south Texas for years. My dad was a hero. All Abortion providers are heroes!
~Aimee Arrambide
oh hey, it's #AbortionProviderAppreciationDay. I am incredibly grateful for the medical professionals who helped me when I made this personal decision for myself and my body. thank you for everything you do.
~Rachel Heine
I would not be where I am today without the abortion care I received as a teen. Thank you Dr. Kahn!♥️
~ QueenCityFeminist
Abortion care is essential & so are our abortion providers. Every day, I’m thankful for & inspired by the clinicians, counselors, advocates & others whose work & dedication bring us closer to realizing true reproductive justice for all.
~ Ayanna Pressley
I was 15; the boy was 20 or 21--too old for me. It was my first experience with sex. I was young in so many ways--too young to raise a child, for sure. I was very lucky. My parents found a doctor who performed abortions in Grove, Oklahoma. It was 1959. The doctor was PTA father of the year, and the year after that, he was sent to prison. When he got out, there was a parade in Grove, and Time magazine did a story on him. He was a hero for so many women. After my abortion, I got an education, had several careers, married, divorced, never had children--never wanted children, didn't even like children until I was safely menopausal. The people who are against abortions think that they're heroes now, but they are not. They will destroy more lives than they save.
~ Margaret Bendet from Langley, Washington
To all of you still going for your sixth shift in a row even though you could sleep 1000 sleeps. To all of you educating patients on the safety of abortions in between bites of your lunch that it takes a full day to finish your sandwich. To all of you singing encouraging 90s jams as you wheel grateful tired patients into recovery because “this is how we do it.” To the parents excited to go home, take off their mask, and kiss their babies who are possible because of abortion. To the voices behind the phone calls wondering when, and how much, and can you help me make this possible. To the hug givers. To the chux replacers. To the ones who say “of course it’s okay to cry and laugh and think more and come back, we’ll be here for you no matter what.” Thank you. Thank you for keeping on even when the fear and exhaustion are so real. Thank you for showing up and having louder hearts, no matter how many megaphones or guns or billboard-covered-busses the anti-abortion extremists have. Your hearts are so loud. Your work, your lives, your whole beings are such bright lights. Beckoning people into their futures of self, of family, of continuing on. Of trying. Of deep knowing. Of endless loving.
~Kelsey Rhodes
So much love and appreciation to all the badass abortion providers who make safe abortion possible. You are all essential. Abortion is essential.
~ Breanna Kompelien
I provide abortion care because I believe in the power of grace and agape love. Abortion work is a labor of love. Celebrate abortion providers with me today, and every day!
~ Dr. Sanithia Williams
I never thanked the doctor who performed my abortion more than 16 years ago. I didn't even know his name. I was too overwhelmed by the fact that I was pregnant and not ready to have a child. This was not a planned pregnancy. I was a graduate student with years of work ahead of me, including field research that would leave me without a real home for a time; I was unemployed and in a relationship that was far from mature enough to handle parenting. But leaving all that aside, I now know that even if I had thanked my provider at the time, I would not have really known what I was thanking him for. Now I do. I would have thanked him for giving me the chance to have my family. I am now the mother of two beautiful girls, 7 and 12. They are healthy, happy, thriving children who are truly loved by me, their father, and a whole slew of aunts, uncles, cousins, a grandmother, an Abulita, and close friends. I know what my abortion provider gave me 16 years ago when I watch my husband help our daughters do their homework, practice violin, or make all of us a heart-shaped pink biscuit on Valentine's Day morning; when I watch my 85-year-old mother's face light up when one of my daughters plays in a concert or writes a story about visiting grandma or remembering grandpa; when I watch my daughters learn to swim, make each other giggle, or even when I watch them drive each other crazy or come home utterly defeated when one of them didn't get into the school talent show or messed up in a concert despite hours of practicing. I am grateful that today I have the opportunity to thank my abortion provider for my children and my family. I do not take these blessings for granted, nor do I take for granted the role he played in giving my family life.
~ Lorraine Kenny
I am thankful that my abortion doctor helped me. At 21 weeks of my first pregnancy, my husband and I found out our pregnancy had VATER syndrome. In order to stay in Alaska for our abortion, we needed to act quickly. But we also wanted to spend time trying to determine how much VATER would affect our new child if we continued the pregnancy. We finally decided to let the pregnancy end so that a possible child would not suffer later. Only one doctor in the state could do abortion at this stage. I was in the third year of my family medicine residency. The Catholic Hospital I was chief resident of sent a nun to try and change my mind. I was scared, shamed, and sad. But the abortion doctor delayed his own vacation one day to help us. With his non-judgmental care, the doctor started to help me release any feelings of shame or wrongness. I am now a family physician, and for the last 15 years have added abortion care to my practice. My husband and I have two amazing children that would not be in this world without the help of this one compassionate, kind, loving doctor. Every day I hope to use my skills to help others while honoring his care for my family.
~Dr. Joey Banks
It sucks that I got pregnant twice this year. It sucks that my first two pregnancies were unplanned and unwanted. It sucks that I got birth control after my first abortion but it failed. It sucks that I wanted to keep this baby because I told myself that the next time I got pregnant things would be different. It sucks that I didn’t want to go through another abortion, but I knew it was the smart decision. What doesn’t suck are the healthcare providers who helped me through it both times. They were the best doctors I’ve ever interacted with in my life and I’m so grateful for their non-judgmental, gracious, loving approach to women’s healthcare. I’m grateful that I have a choice. That I don’t have to accept that pregnancy happened to me, and feeling forced to go through with it. I’m grateful that I got an implant this time, a birth control I can forget about that will most likely never fail. I’m grateful to my family for raising me with the knowledge that an abortion isn’t wrong or against our belief system. And I’m grateful for this community that makes me feel like I can have mixed feelings about my pregnancies and subsequent abortions and that no feeling is wrong. I have felt remorse, guilt, and shame over my abortions and I have also felt relief, comfort, and gratitude. And I have never felt like I made the wrong decision. I hope I never go through this again, but if I do, I know I will eventually be okay. I’m glad I didn’t bring two unwanted children into this world.
~ Name not given
This is a true story about abortion: When my mom was a teenager, she ‘got into trouble.” My grandfather, a Marine, wanted her to have a life and a diploma — which he didn’t have. He took her to get an abortion and said he would always love her. He loves her. He loves me. And he knows I wouldn’t be here without my mom — and her abortion.
~ Name not given
My mother had a safe but illegal abortion when she was 18 and a freshman in college. She went on to finish school, have a planned family, and fulfill her lifelong dream of becoming a doctor. My deepest gratitude to the doctor who helped my mom early one morning in 1961, for putting your practice on the line, for getting my brilliant mother’s life back on track . . . and for my existence.
~Ellen
I appreciate my abortion provider because they were patient and understanding while I was going through the confusing judicial bypass process.
~ H K Gray in Texas
I would like to extend my sincere and eternal thanks to the Planned Parenthood Clinic of Iowa City, IA. Everyone was so kind, patient, and understanding when I scheduled and attended my appointment for an abortion. They even helped me with birth control afterwards. The staff of PP Iowa City are truly saving lives and changing futures, including my own. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart for all the work you do on behalf of uterus-having people. I would not be here today without you. Xo
~Rue Monroe
I am made to wait for an hour before the nurse comes to speak to me. I’m sat on the bed threading beads onto a necklace. She pulls the curtain round and in a low voice says ‘I’ve got to give you an injection. You’re O rhesus negative – Do you know what that means?’ I look at her blankly. ‘No. Well, you’re the rarest blood type, which means you’re very special’ she smiles again, and looks to hold my hand. ‘Oh?’ I say, still none the wiser. ‘Unfortunately, it also means that if you were to get pregnant again you risk producing too many white blood cells which may harm the foetus.’ I trust her and do what she recommends. Eventually I am discharged. In a way I don’t want to be away from that nurse. She was so open and honest about the procedure and her role in the ward. She was like a guardian angel. Eventually, through all the horror and misery of this experience, like a beacon of light in the dark, she made me feel like I wasn’t stupid, or alone. I have no recollection of her name, but have often thought about I’d like to send her flowers, or write to her to let her know how helpful she was.
~ Name not given
I live in Texas, and I know this little love letter will probably never mean much, but I am so thankful that abortion was around when I needed it. I was 10 weeks when I had my abortion, four weeks beyond this new ban that we have, and the reason why I had the abortion at 10 weeks was because I didn't even know I was pregnant until I was 7 weeks. I was 33 years old when I walked into that clinic, I was scared shitless, but the clinic was a warm and loving environment and the staff who worked there gave me comfort and respect. I walked out of there smiling with my head held high, and I was loving myself more than ever for doing what I did. I thank you for the work that you do, and my 14-year-old daughter and my 11-year-old daughter thank you as well. Our lives are better because of what you do.
~ Name not given
Love to Abortion Providers ❤ I didn’t think you could get pregnant with an IUD. The whole summer I was afraid to go to the doctor because I thought they would tell me I just needed to lose some weight or drink more water, which would be embarrassing and a waste of money. I finally went after months of pain, nausea, mysterious rashes, fatigue, depression. I knew as soon as they told me that I wanted an abortion. The day of the d&e procedure I was afraid of the judgement I might receive at the hospital. But I was treated with kindness. I left the hospital feeling better than I’d felt in a long time. I look forward to getting pregnant someday, when I am ready.
~Ann
I was raised to believe that abortion was a terrible choice and that it would destroy my life if I ever did it, and that was what I believed. I even marched in some pro-life rallies when I was a kid, but I had no clue what the heck I was marching for. Fast forward 4 years, and I am a full-time college student with a crappy part-time job, and I still live with my mom. It was the 3rd week of April when I realized that I missed my period, and at first I thought it was because of stress from everyday life, but I eventually took a pregnancy test, and it came back positive. I did nothing about it for a couple weeks, just praying I was living a nightmare, but I wasn't dumb. I knew I did not want to destroy my life, and I knew I did not want to tell my mom, so I called Planned Parenthood.
~ Name not given
Thank you for not drawing attention to the fact that I am 17 years old. Thank you for letting me make the decision for myself, not my parents. Thank you for allowing my boyfriend to hold my hand and sit next to me the whole way through. Thank you for scheduling my abortion immediately. Thank you for not doubting my choice or subtly trying to get me to re-think. Thank you for providing me with an emotional healthy and safe experience. Thank you for accepting my insurance that covered abortion. Thank you for casually talking to me during the procedure to keep me happy. Thank you for giving me an overwhelming amount of comfort. Thank you for supporting me, giving me the courage to shout my abortion to my senior class and many others.
~ Anonymous
Dear Healthcare Providers, family counselors, social workers, receptionists, DSHS, taxpayers, security personnel, older sisters and anyone who assists in obtaining a legal abortion: I could not pinpoint a particular point of gratitude, for my appreciation of the experience exceeds the basic procedure. From the very first 2004 experience, navigating through the doors of my local DSHS and social welfare programs, to the doorstep of the clinics like Planned Parenthood, there are so many unforeseen or unseen forces at work, granting access to safe, legal and sometimes free abortions (thanks taxpayers, generous contributors to family planning services etc.) Whether each one of you, consciously or not, knew it — you all contributed to some pretty useful, transferable skills. While some might categorize the many benefits I received as ‘selfish’ — yes, I escaped the cycle of poverty and abuse, created quality of life, furthered my education etc. Without each person in the bureaucratic process, I could not have ‘learned the ropes’ to help educate my methods to other women in my life. This availability alone helped create accessibility, affordability and oftentimes privilege for many other women close to me in my life to help obtain safe and legal abortions. Armed with this knowledge through oral history, women have been helping each other out of decades! Thanks for modernizing, organizing and quietly educating me to do the same.
~ Giselle Nizat
To My Two Abortion Providers, My heart aches that I was too young, too overwhelmed, and too alienated to thank you for saving my life and rescuing my future when I was a teenager. You helped me when I was 13, after I was pressured into sex by an older boy. I had no idea what was happening to me. I wandered around the school telling everyone I had caught a weird virus that made me throw up every morning. My parents arranged for you to help me, but they swore me to secrecy, saying no one must ever know that you helped me. You helped me when I was 19, after my birth control failed while I was in a terrible relationship with an uncaring man. I am 56 years old now. I have lived a fulfilling life. It’s all because of you. It’s all because of your compassion, your courage, and your devotion to helping vulnerable people. I can trace every happy moment in my life back to you — walking on stage to get my college diploma; hearing the words you’re hired at the job of my dreams; standing in a chapel exchanging vows with the kindest man I’ve ever met; giving birth to my two amazing sons. You continue to be a beacon of compassion for those of us with nowhere else to turn. You risk your life, day after day, to save the lives of others. You deserve a medal of honor and valor. These words are poor translations of my profound feelings, but please know this: Your mercy has been an everlasting grace in my life, and I love you with my whole heart.
~Karen Thurston in Georgia U.S.
One category of healthcare that is important to women is reproductive healthcare, and reproductive healthcare workers include abortion providers. However, we don’t always remember abortion providers as the dedicated medical professionals that they are. Why is that? Like all medical professionals, abortion providers offer their patients compassionate care at critical points of decision in their lives. And like other nurses and doctors, abortion providers prioritize their patients’ health and well-being while offering care that is compassionate, skilled, and necessary. No matter what our own feelings about abortion may be, we should remember with respect the healthcare professionals who provide critical reproductive health care to women. We don’t think often enough about the dedicated professionals who ensure that we can make those private decisions for ourselves and our families. I for one am glad to offer my respect to this kind of care and the professionals who offer it to us.
~ Kate Adams
This is exactly how I feel. My amazing daughter would not exist without the ability to receive abortion care when I needed it, decades before I was actually ready to become a mother. Thank you, abortion providers!
~ Anne Tegtmeier
Endless gratitude to abortion providers and staff who sacrifice their safety, privacy and comfort so that we can be free. It shouldn’t have to be this way, but it is. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
~ Lizzy Hinkley
Dear Doctor, I want to thank you for helping me when I was 16 years old in 1969. As you know, abortion was illegal in the country at that time, and I was lucky to have found you. Actually, my parents found you with the help of the obstetrician who delivered me and a Presbyterian Church in suburban Illinois. Being illegal, abortion was risky and my experience was frightening. From Detroit, we drove to Chicago in the middle of the night. With $600 cash in hand, we arrived at down and checked into a pre-determined hotel and awaited directions. I was picked up, taken to an apartment and the deed was done. Humiliated and in pain, I endured the procedure without anesthesia. You were kind and understanding. No judgments. Just help. You told me you thought abortion should be legal and that I shouldn’t have to go through it this way. And you were skilled, thank god. I healed quickly. You deserved every dime of your fee. This accidental pregnancy was, without a doubt, the defining moment of my life. Thanks to you, I was able to have the life I wanted — college, grad school, successful career, 35 yers of marriage and two beautiful grown children. You are probably gone by now, and I never knew your name. Thank you.
~ Anonymous
I want to thank the providers at A Woman’s Choice Clinic in Charlotte for providing me with a safe, comfortable place to terminate my pregnancy nearly six years ago. Forever thankful!
~ Patty J. in North Carolina
Back when I was working in frontline abortion care, we would receive what I can only describe as love letters from our clients. These would be letters from folks who would tell us just how much they appreciated how non-judgmental we were, how helpful we were, how we listened, how we cared, how we gave them this thing that they really needed. And I think we forget that for a lot of people, accessing abortion services is actually an act of sell love. And they love abortion providers because we are doing something really important for them. I loved my job. I love abortion. I think it’s really wonderful that it exists in the world. And so I have this image in my mind of these cards and letters coming to us, you know, like ‘thank you for making what might have been a really hard decision, as easy as it could possibly have been. I felt supported, I felt loved.’ And so if we can bring that sense of compassion to trans people in all facets of life and to trans people who need us in reproductive health spaces, what an incredible gift that would be.”
~A.J. Lowik
To abortion providers — to say that you are superhuman would actually belittle your accomplishments: the fight to keep abortion accessible to all lays bare not some supernatural saviour, but the magnificent human capacity for fortitude and compassion. That is not a magic trick; it is your sweat and bravery. I am profoundly grateful to the providers at the clinic where I had my abortion, who treated me with a combination of bracing kindness and even-keeled efficiency, saying with every gesture, “This is normal. This is OK.” But I live in a liberal city with relatively little anti-abortion activity; I could afford to travel if I needed to; my family is progressive, loving, and present. I especially want to thank those of you who serve far more vulnerable people in far more dangerous places. You are so important. Your jobs are unfathomably hard, and not just because of the ceaseless hostility, threats of violence and cultural expectation that superstitious nonsense be treated as a legitimate “counterpoint” to basic healthcare. Thank you for fighting to keep your clinics open, even though there is no incentive but radical altruism, and even though for so many years we have been afraid to say thank you in public. Thank you for believing in women’s power, autonomy and right to steer our own lives. Thank you for my career and my beautiful family. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
~ Lindy West
I didn't feel guilty when I got my abortion in 2003. I was on drugs, had a drug addicted boyfriend and most importantly, I knew I wasn't ready to be a mom. But, I worried that down the road . . when I had a child . . . it would all come out . . . and I would be devastated by what I had done. Then my son was born in 2014. As I held him and looked at his perfect little fingers and toes I waited for the repressed shame to wash over me . . . Instead, I was overwhelmed with gratitude for the abortion I had 11 years earlier. And I realized that it was only through choosing to not be a parent then, that I got to be a great mom now! Thank you for being there when I needed you in 2003. That Friday in January when you showed up for work, it was just another day for you. You didn’t know that over a decade later your work would help a woman you don’t remember have the life and family she’d always dreamed of. There are two loving parents with a little boy who is happy, safe, and wanted . . . because of you. Thank you.
~ Anonymous
I entered your clinic as a terrified teenager in the 90s. My mother was dying, my father was struggling to pay her medical bills, and I was pregnant with absolutely no support network. I was scared, and I just wanted the nightmare to be over. You didn’t judge, and neither did your staff. You gave me the freedom to finish college, to have a successful career, to travel the world, and to be more stable than my parents ever were. I am still happily without children in a loving, long-term relationship. Without you, my life would have been worse. I cannot tell you how much I appreciate the personal sacrifices that you have made to make sure that women have access to reproductive health care. I’m sorry for the unbearable pain that you’ve had to deal with as you’ve seen friends and colleagues assassinated for doing the same. Please know that you have changed lives for the better with the work that you do.
~ Name not given
God Bless the brave medical providers who competently and safely provide medical care for people who need abortions: For rape victims, incest victims, battering victims forcibly impregnated by violent husbands and boyfriends. For women who develop life threatening medical complications late in pregnancies and have to choose between their own lives and those of their fetuses who they wanted to bring into the world as their children. For women who learn late in pregnancy that the much-wanted child they hoped to bear has abnormalities that are inconsistent with life, and must choose between carrying to term and delivering a baby that will die shortly in horrible suffering. For girls who are victims of statutory rape who have no education or means to support children. For poor women who the government (and Republican opponents of the ACA) deprive of access to contraception who cannot afford to feed a child (because the Republicans keep cutting food stamps, etc.) For girls who didn't learn about contraception because their schools don't teach them the biology of human reproduction or what contraception is and how to use it. God Bless these brave men and women health care providers who, yes, do God's work every day. God bless them for supporting girls and women in making the medical choices that are best for them, and providing them with the safest care available, whether for abortion or pre-natal care. They are God's true servants in an imperfect world.
~ Anonymous
I can’t imagine the bullshit you have to put up with. I live outside the US and the trump-esque babyman dictator we’re stuck with has said he wants all women to have three kids, at least. Why does anyone give a shit how many kids other people have? It’s baffling to me. People rain down shame and abuse on you because the normal job you do is somehow everyone else’s problem. You’ve always been an option for me and my partners, in the case my sperms manage to dart into a uterine crevice and divulge their genetic secrets to an egg cell. I am thankful that I had enough sexual education to be able to just describe that in a kind of funny way, that my partners have the knowledge, means and money to ask you to blast the blastocyst out. Really appreciate your continued presence and keep it up.
~ Enrie
Thank you so much for the work you do! It’s wildly under appreciated and makes so much possible for those of us looking for what is best for us and our bodies.
~ Atzin R.