Empowered by Life

Panel of Abortion Survivors to tell their stories of triumph

Tens of millions of abortions have been performed since the original Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973. However, nearly 18,000 babies have survived attempted abortions. How have those children grown up, dealt with that horrible fact, and gone on to live productive lives?

Benedictine College is pleased to welcome a panel that will address those questions and more. A group of 14 abortion survivors will give a special presentation of their stories of triumph on Friday, Dec. 9, at 6:00 p.m. in the McAllister Board Room, located on the fourth floor of Ferrell Academic Center. The event is free and open to the public.

The panelists are from the Abortion Survivors Network (ASN), a non-profit founded in 2012 by Melissa Ohden, a survivor of a saline abortion attempt. The organization is the only advocacy and support group for abortion survivors and their families worldwide. ASN is a leading voice that humanizes the unborn, survivors of abortion, and all impacted by abortion. In addition to advocacy, ASN also provides social and emotional support to survivors and their families.

“We are all part of the tapestry of a culture of life…and we will continue to fight for the day when every single person is seen as more than a choice,” Ohden said during a pro-life rally on the Benedictine College campus in September. “I was more than someone’s choice to abort. It was not my biological mother’s right to try to end my life.”

The goal of the panel and of ASN is to raise awareness in the public about the incidence of failed abortions and the experiences of abortion survivors. According to the ASN website, an astounding 17,855 babies have survived abortion attempts since 1973. The organization is currently working with about 600 of them. Learn more at the Abortion Survivors Network website.

Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, Benedictine, residential, liberal arts college located on the bluffs above the Missouri River in Atchison, Kansas. The school is honored to have been named one of America’s Best Colleges by U.S. News & World Report, the best private college in Kansas by The Wall Street Journal, and one of the top Catholic colleges in the nation by First Things magazine and the Newman Guide. It prides itself on outstanding academics, extraordinary faith life, strong athletic programs, and an exceptional sense of community and belonging. Benedictine College has a mission to educate men and women within a community of faith and scholarship.