Emily* (not her real name) is a 17-year-old high school student who walked into our center carrying a lot of fear. She came in looking for an abortion because she didn’t want anyone to know she was pregnant—especially her parents. She told us she was terrified of disappointing them and felt ashamed of the choices that led her here.
From the start, our Patient Advocate took time to really listen to Emily’s heart. Together, they talked through her situation and the different support systems available to her. One thing we kept gently encouraging her toward was this: you don’t have to do this alone. We asked her to consider bringing her parents into the conversation, even though we knew that felt scary.
During her STD testing and ultrasound appointment, our nurses continued to speak hope into her. They reminded her that support was available and that having her parents involved could make a huge difference.
After her appointment, Emily made a brave decision—she went home and told her parents she was pregnant. She also shared the resources and support she learned about through the center.
Not long after that, Emily and her parents reached back out to us. They wanted to come in together, talk through everything again, and learn more about the support available for parents, too. They scheduled a follow-up appointment and even planned a second ultrasound.
Later, Emily told us something we won’t forget: she said she felt so safe and supported here that it gave her the courage to tell her parents the truth. And because of that support, she chose to parent.