They say life never sends you more than you can handle, but Sarah wasn’t so sure. She’d just lost her job, her boyfriend had walked out on her—and she found out she was pregnant. “I was 40 years old, with two grown children,” she says. “Everything was going wrong. My parents were disgusted with me. I couldn’t have this baby. I honestly didn’t think I could manage it, financially or emotionally.” Driving down the street, she saw a Birthright office. Assuming it was a clinic where she could terminate her pregnancy, she walked in without an appointment. “As soon as I got there, I knew I was in the wrong place,” she recalls. “I almost walked out, but the counselor was so understanding. We talked for hours. I started thinking, ‘Maybe I can do this, after all.’”
Birthright Counseling, established in 1971, provides ongoing support and practical assistance throughout pregnancy to women of all ages and economic circumstances. “We want women faced with an unintended pregnancy to know they have options other than termination,” says executive director Maureen Zink. “Our counselors listen to their stories and empower them to tap into their strengths. At a time when they’re facing many pressures, we help them make calm, fully informed decisions. We provide whatever they need to deliver and care for their baby, either directly or through referrals to community agencies.”
Approximately 3,000 women each year receive services at Birthright Counseling’s four locations. More than 90 percent choose life for their babies, Zink notes. Free, confidential services include pregnancy testing, professional counseling from master’s-level counselors and social workers, referrals to medical care and other resources, and prenatal and parenting education. Assistance also can include scholarship support for schooling as well as career and life-skills training. Support continues as long as the mother needs it.
The agency relies on donations from individuals, foundations and corporations to keep its doors open. The annual A Night for Life Gala, benefiting Birthright’s counseling services, takes place Sept. 5 at The Muny. “Up to 40 percent of our annual operating budget is generated by activities hosted by Friends of Birthright, and the gala is our major fundraiser,” Zink explains. The event is chaired by Michele Forshaw and co-chaired by Janine DiMarco; Rick Forshaw serves as fundraising chair.
Sarah met with her counselor every couple of weeks throughout her pregnancy. Today, she has a healthy, beloved baby boy. A scholarship from Birthright enabled her to get certification for a job in her chosen field. “Birthright empowered me to build a meaningful future for myself and my child,” she says. “I’m so glad I walked through that door—and glad I stayed and talked to the counselor. She helped me see I wasn’t alone, that I had options. I guess I didn’t walk into the wrong place, after all.”
[The annual A Night for Life Gala, a benefit for Birthright Counseling hosted by Friends of Birthright, takes place Sept. 5 at The Muny. Tickets are $150. For more information, call 314.962.5300 or visit friendsofbirthrightstl.org.]
by Tony di Martino
Pictured: Friends of Birthright president Sandra Donnelly
Photo: Friends of Birthright
