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16th February 2024
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In this Issue...

BREAKING NEWS: Over 10,000 Irish abortions in 2023 based on figures just released (#BREAKING)

READ: Woman in Australia dies after having abortion (#S345)

WATCH: Must see viral video: "Let's show everybody what we say every morning!" (#preemie)

READ: Man with Down syndrome dies after hospital in UK failed to feed him for nine days (#S3)

READ: Alliance Party in the North of Ireland aims to fully decriminalise abortion up to birth for any reason (#Sall)

READ: (#steps) UPDATING OUR VOTER GUIDE - REQUEST FOR LOCAL INFORMATION on stances of candidates in your area (#steps)

REGISTER NOW (#S2) : PLC Internships Now Open - Apply Now! (#S2)

ACTION: Get involved in the Humanity Campaign – Communicate with your politicians (#Humanity) today (#Humanity)

ACTION (#history) : Do you have pro-life material which could be historically relevant? (#history)
Over 10,000 Irish abortions in 2023 based on figures just released (http://)
Figures released yesterday to Carol Nolan TD from the HSE showed that from January to November 2023, GPs made claims for reimbursements for a total of 9,218 abortions. This does not include abortions which were carried out in a hospital setting.

These shocking figures show that 2023 was likely the highest year yet for abortions on record, and by some distance. The figures released to Deputy Nolan show that the number of claims made by GPs for abortion reimbursements in the first eleven months of the year totals 9,218. This figure is far in excess of the annual notifications report for every preceding year, despite the fact this figure is just for GP claims and does not include hospital abortions. As such, the abortion rate is likely much higher and undoubtedly exceeds 10,000.

In a press release to the media yesterday evening, Pro Life Campaign spokesperson Eilís Mulroy said: “We are now seeing an alarming trend where the annual abortion rate has risen dramatically since 2019, but most especially in the last two years. Proactive steps which the government can take to reduce the abortion rate must be discussed openly in the national media. The impact of telemedicine has likely had a major impact in increasing the abortion rate. Despite this radical change in abortion policy, not a single vote has ever been cast for or against this radical departure from the original abortion law which the then Minister for Health Simon Harris assured the public would not be operated through telemedicine. The government cannot continue to bury its head in the sand and refuse to listen to the voices of those who have well grounded and practical suggestions on how to reduce the soaring abortion rate.”

Commenting yesterday evening on the increase, Deputy Carol Nolan said Ireland is now facing an “epidemic of loss,” adding that there is an “under-promotion” of alternatives.

“This is now an epidemic of loss,” she said.

“Thousands of women are being betrayed by the over promotion of abortion as the only possible response to pregnancy in certain circumstances and the cruel under promotion of life affirming alternatives. I will continue to shine a light on this issue so that women and families are fully supported with the kind of wrap around service provision that will meaningfully assist them in choosing a different path beyond that of abortion.”
Woman in Australia dies after having abortion (http://)

Pictured: Harjit Kaur

A 30-year-old mother of two, Harjit Kaur, has died in Australia after having a 'routine' surgical abortion at a ‘women's health clinic’ in Melbourne. Her husband was informed by telephone that whilst the abortion was ‘successful’, her heartbeat quickly began to rise and an ambulance arrived where she received CPR.

Upon reaching Hampton Park Women's Clinic, her husband was informed that she had died. 'I was dead then. My life destroyed in a second’, he told the press. The nurse had told Ms Kaur that the surgical abortion was ‘very safe and that she would be able to go home in a couple of hours.’

This tragic case highlights the reality that abortion is not a ‘safe’ procedure for either the mother or child. Dr Calum Miller, a medical doctor in Oxford, wrote on X that “Her life mattered, but you won't hear this story in most media outlets. Why does it matter when a woman dies after being refused an abortion, but if she dies after an abortion there is almost silence? You can guess why.”

In 2012, The death of Savita Halappanavar in Galway was cynically used by journalists and campaigners as a reason to legalise abortion in Ireland. Three official reports showed the real cause of the tragedy in Galway was mismanaged sepsis and not the non-availability of abortion in Ireland at the time.

The death of Ms Kaur should generate a similar ‘public debate’ in Australia and elsewhere about the unsafeness of abortion.
Must see viral video: "Let's show everybody what we say every morning!" (http://)
This is a delightful little video featuring mum Melanie Droubay and her son Hudson who has Down syndrome.

They’ve racked up hundreds of thousands of followers on social media (366K on Instagram alone) under the name ourhuddybuddy, sharing Hudson’s story and giving people a glimpse into the amazing life he's leading. Watch and share this short inspiring little video!

Click
here ([link removed]) to watch!
Man with Down syndrome dies after hospital in UK failed to feed him for nine days (http://)

Poole General Hospital, Dorset, England

A 56-year-old man with Down syndrome died in a hospital in England after not being fed for nine days.

An investigation into his death pinpoints the shocking mismanagement and disregard for the man's life which happened at Poole General Hospital in Dorset. The vulnerable man's family sought the investigation following his death.

Charges levelled against the hospital maintained that the failure to provide basic care to the man was what led to "his subsequent severe deterioration and death."

The Down's Syndrome Association in the UK said in a statement that they were "appalled and distressed" by the details of the case and said that "acute hospitals should have specially trained learning disability nurses to provide additional advice and support" to the team catering for patients with a learning disability and other vulnerable groups such as people with dementia.

There have been other reported cases in the UK recently involving the NHS and its failure to properly care for individuals with Down syndrome, including examples of blatant neglect. We know that some individuals working in the health services are increasingly discriminating against unborn babies in the womb once they’re diagnosed with Down syndrome. If the discrimination is also becoming more apparent after birth with regard to accessing basic care, then we need to call out what's happening and push back hard against it.
Alliance Party in the North of Ireland aims to fully decriminalise abortion up to birth for any reason (http://)
The deputy leader of the Alliance Party in the north of Ireland is pushing for an amendment to the currently progressing Criminal Justice Bill through Westminster, legislation supposedly aimed at creating ‘safe access zones’ across the United Kingdom, which would remove any criminal sanction from the Offences Against the Person Act 1861 insofar as it relates to the procurement of an abortion.

By removing all references to abortion from the 1861 Act, this would have the effect of allowing abortions to be performed up until the point of birth with no criminal sanction in place. There has been particular focus in the English media on the criminal threat which ‘hangs over’ a woman for procuring an abortion outside the scope of the 1967 Abortion Act, however, it would also remove criminal sanction from the person performing the abortion. This would allow unscrupulous individuals to perform abortions on women with the potential of no criminal consequences.
UPDATING OUR VOTER GUIDE - REQUEST FOR LOCAL INFORMATION on stances of candidates in your area (http://)
The Local and European elections are scheduled to take place in early June. A General Election will also likely happen before the end of 2024.

Before polling day for each election, the Pro Life Campaign will provide a comprehensive Voter Guide with a list of candidates and parties and where they stand on abortion and other right to life issues.

We've already started work on compiling the list, which involves a huge time commitment. It's vital work though in order to guarantee that the information presented to voters is both thorough and reliable.

But for today, we'd be most grateful if you'd set aside some time to send us ANY information you have regarding the stances of candidates in your local area on the right to life issue. Don’t assume we have it already! The more information we have the more comprehensive our Voter Guide will be. We take special care in gathering as much verifiable data as possible to accurately reflect where candidates stand and to ensure we have the most up to date information to share with voters.

Please send any information you have to [email protected] (mailto:[email protected]) today or make a note to do so before Monday 11th March. Many thanks for all your help!!
PLC Internships Now Open - Apply Now! (http://)
Explore the world of human rights with our internship programme! This is your chance to network, learn advocacy skills, and gain experience in campaign management and project planning.

This one-week internship is available starting every Monday from 15th January. It is suitable for TY and older, third-level students, and anyone interested in gaining experience in non-profit work!

Click below to learn more and apply now!
Learn More Here ([link removed])
Humanity Campaign - Action Alert! (http://)
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It’s a really important time to approach your local TDs and Senators and urge them to reintroduce some humanity into the debate on abortion. The Three-Year Review, a seriously flawed process which produced a one-sided and extreme report, will be considered by politicians in the autumn. It’s important that we take action now.

We have produced a quick and easy Virtual Postcard for you to sign, which will automatically send an email to your local TDs. Use the button below to navigate into your county on our website and find your constituency.

It’s also important to have meetings with your TDs. These can be as simple as dropping into your local TD’s advice clinic to outline your concerns. Click below to register to lobby your local TDs. Don’t worry – we’ll help you every step of the way with advice on making the appointment to points you might consider raising.

We are heartened by the number of people actively involved and interested in meeting their politicians to express their views. The People Before Profit Bill which regrettably passed at 2nd stage of the Dáil on 31st May must also be countered. Even the Minister for Health, Stephen Donnelly, has said this Bill goes far beyond the recommendations of the Three-Year Review – which are already extreme in their own right.

It is crucial to engage with our politicians and remind them not to overlook the referendum promises. We need to fight to ensure our abortion policy is aimed at reducing the abortion rate.

Please take a moment to get involved in the
Humanity Campaign ([link removed]) . Remember even the smallest effort will make a big difference.

Thank you!
Send an instant email to your politicians here ([link removed])
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Do you have pro-life material which could be historically relevant? (http://)
We are putting out a call for anyone in possession of any documents, photographs, correspondence, etc. relevant to the Irish pro-life movement throughout the decades. We are particularly keen to receive anything in your possession related to periods such as the 1983 referendum. A comprehensive history of the pro-life movement is yet to be written, but the historians of the future will need primary sources. We are asking for people to get in touch with the Pro Life Campaign (mailto:[email protected]) if they possess such material (no matter how old or dusty!) to ensure it is preserved now and not lost to the ages.
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Vital Signs is the e-newsletter of the Pro Life Campaign. This email is to update you on what we have been working on recently, including news stories, project updates, and details of upcoming events. If you want to get in touch with us please do so by emailing [email protected]

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