“We can help” Woman chooses life after street counsellor offers help outside abortion clinic

Image credit: Ryan Franco via Unsplash

A young mother has chosen life for her baby after she met a  pro-life street counsellor outside an abortion clinic in Belfast, who offered her help and support provided by organisation Stanton Healthcare Belfast.

Stanton Healthcare Belfast is an organisation, who provide help and support to women facing unexpected or crisis pregnancies, such as counselling, emotional support, ultrasound scans, practical assistance and much more. On their international website, Stanton Healthcare have stated that they have become “a beacon of hope to women” who are considering abortion.

Precious Life, an organisation based in Belfast who frequent the streets to share the pro-life message, shared the news on social media this week that a young women has chosen life for her baby after meeting a street counsellor outside an abortion clinic, who had offered her the help provided by Stanton Healthcare Belfast.

Sharing her story with Precious Life, the women said that she “was in a terrible state, I had no one to talk to, and no other choice but to have an abortion. The father of my baby had rejected me, he didn’t want our baby and my family made it clear that they wouldn’t be supporting me if I continued with the pregnancy.

She had booked her appointment with BPAS in Belfast, but as she approached the clinic for her appointment a “woman standing outside offered me a leaflet. She said she could help me and that she would be there for me. I didn’t know whether to run in the door or run away. But the woman was so nice, and I knew from the look on her face that she did really care about me."

"She was the first person who said she would be there for me. I was alone, and all those who wanted me to have the abortion didn’t even care enough to come to the clinic with me.”

“I was so overwhelmed with the woman’s kindness that I started to cry, and through my tears I told her that I had no choice other than to abort this baby. But deep down, I knew I didn’t want an abortion. The woman told me, “you don’t have to do this, we can help,” she continued.

This woman proceeded to enter the abortion clinic for her appointment, resolving to speak to the doctor about her concerns, but quickly realised that the doctor did not care.

“By this stage my head was buzzing and my heart was breaking. When my name was called, I decided I would speak to the doctor and share my concerns and fears. But while speaking to the doctor, I soon realised she didn’t care. I knew I was in the wrong place so I got up and left,” she said.

“When I went outside, the woman I’d spoke to earlier handed me another leaflet and told me to call the helpline number. I called the very next day and within a few hours I met with an advisor from Stanton who booked me in for an ultrasound scan.”

“When I saw my baby on the screen I knew straight away that I was in the right place and these beautiful people who I’d never met before were going to help me. I knew then that no matter what was going on in my life right now, everything was going to be alright,” she continued.

“I've had my first hospital appointment and I've had another scan. When I looked at my scan pictures, I know I made the right decision. The good news is that my mother and family have come around and are standing by me. I also now have new friends at Stanton who are in regular contact with me. And more importantly, I have the birth of my baby to look forward to.”

This case comes as politicians in Ireland are attempting to provide buffer zones around abortion clinics, making it illegal for pro-lifers to offer this kind of support to women who need it. Yet, many brave souls continue to hold pro-life vigils at abortion centres. 

When we hear of stories like this one from Belfast, it shows the importance of the amazing work done by the pro-life street counsellors outside abortion clinics. Many women are either coerced or pushed into feeling that they have no choice but abortion, when they don’t even want one, but most are not offered the alternatives that are available to them, such as the support provided by organisations like Stanton Healthcare Belfast and Gianna Care, who have offices in Dublin, Galway, Limerick, Offaly and Kerry.