A young mum who was repeatedly pressured by healthcare workers in the UK to abort her daughter with Down syndrome claims the ordeal has left her with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Rachel Mewes took to Twitter on International Womenâs Day to tell her story and call for the discrimination and prejudice she and her daughter faced to feature in the debate and consultative process on womenâs health recently initiated by the Minister for Patient Safety in the UK.
Rachel says she was repeatedly pressured to consider having a late-term abortion when seven months pregnant with her daughter Betsy. She told healthcare workers on several occasions that she didnât want to have a termination, but the pressure continued.
DUP MP Carla Lockhart raised Rachelâs story this week during a parliamentary debate on the âWomenâs Health Strategyâ and called for action to be taken to end the discrimination and prejudice that many women (and their babies) experience when an unborn baby is diagnosed with a disability.
During the parliamentary debate Lockhart said: âI thank the Minister for outlining that women can discuss anything during this consultation. Can she therefore outline what efforts will be made to reach out and gather evidence from mums such as Rachel Mewes?â
She went on to describe the trauma Rachel experienced and said: âAs a result, she now has post-traumatic stress disorder and has said that being forced to imagine someone killing her little girl Betsy nearly destroyed her. Has the Minister considered the devastating impact that this kind of treatment is having on womenâs health and wellbeing during pregnancy, and does she agree that disability discrimination in the womb should end?â
In response, Minister Nadine Dorries MP said that while abortion was not specifically intended to feature in the consultative process, nonetheless she encouraged anyone with stories like Rachelâs to make them known via submissions to the consultative process.
It remains to be seen how Rachelâs case will be dealt with, but one thing is certain, stories like hers will continue to come to the fore, and in increasing numbers. Abortion supporters will try to wish them away and deflect onto other issues, but itâs not going to work. As more and more people come forward, the truth will out in the end.
This week, the Labour Party renewed its support for censorship zones outside abortion facilities and gave an undertaking to keep pushing for peaceful pro-life outreach to be made a criminal offence.
This is the same Labour Party that introduced a Bill in 2016 to regulate pregnancy counselling in Ireland, which if given effect would have ruled out any counselling support to women that mentioned positive alternatives to abortion.
The Labour Party claimed their proposed new law would put an end to ârogue agenciesâ in the area of pregnancy counselling and enlisted the help of the Irish Planning Association in the drafting of their Bill.
The fact that the Irish Family Planning Association itself is the epitome of a rogue agency didnât seem to bother the Labour Party in the least. Some years back, the Irish Family Planning Association was caught on tape by a national newspaper advising women to lie to their doctors and say they had a miscarriage in the event that they had physical complications after their abortion â advise that a former Master of a Dublin maternity hospital described as âlife-endangeringâ.
The Labour Partyâs latest intervention into the abortion debate calling for censorship zones and the continuation of government backing for âDIYâ home abortions is proof that thereâs no reappraisal taking place within the party on issues like abortion, even for the standpoint that their push for abortion in the past produced no political dividend for the party and if anything cost them seats in subsequent elections. It is another reminder of why we need to back pro-life TDs and candidates at every available opportunity.
The High Court has agreed to hold a hearing in June in a damages action taken by a couple who claim their unborn child was aborted after they received a misdiagnosis that the baby had a life-limiting condition.
The parties being sued by the couple include the National Maternity Hospital (NMH), Holles Street, Dublin and Merrion Fetal Health private clinic, run by five consultant obstetrician gynaecologists. Earlier this week, the defendants in the case sought to add the Greater Glasgow Health Board (GGHB) to the proceedings. The judge, after considering the matter, added GGHB as a defendant.
This tragic case first came to light in 2019, within months of the new abortion law coming into effect, after the couple lodged a complaint with the National Maternity Hospital claiming that they were given a misdiagnosis of a âfatal foetal abnormalityâ, only to discover that their baby was perfectly healthy following test results that came back after the abortion had already taken place.
The refusal of senior members of government to assist the couple in getting the answers they seek about what exactly transpired has been the subject of a number of media reports over the past two years and also featured in DĂĄil questions by AontĂș leader Peadar TĂłibĂn and others.
Itâs noticeable that most campaigners for abortion appear reluctant to talk about the case. It is also important to state that ultimately the abortion issue is not about whether a baby has a disability or a life-limiting condition. It is about the fact that every abortion ends the life of a defenceless unborn child.
Meanwhile in a separate case, it was announced yesterday that a man is to stand trial in Co Donegal charged with the termination of a pregnancy.
The man, who now lives in Dublin, was charged under section 23(2) of the Health (regulation of termination of pregnancy) Act 2018 on February 14th, 2020, in Letterkenny.
The act under which he is charged says it is an offence for a person to prescribe, administer, supply or procure any drug, substance, instrument or apparatus or other thing knowing that it is intended to be used to end the life of an unborn baby.
No further details about the case have been released.
There has been another marked increase in the number of deaths from assisted suicide in the US state of Oregon. In 2020, deaths increased by 28% over the previous year, according to the latest figures issued by the Oregon Health Authority. In 2020, 245 people ended their lives in the state through assisted suicide, compared with 191 in 2019.
Over 65s accounted for 81% of all assisted suicides and a total of 142 physicians were responsible for administering the lethal drugs. 79% of these doctors wrote one or two prescriptions. One doctor wrote 31 of the prescriptions to end the lives of his/her patients.
The report also lists the very disturbing finding that 53.1% of those who ended their lives gave being a âburden on family, friends, caregiversâ as a reason for their decision. Findings like these are largely being swept under the carpet by the media and other commentators. Thankfully, however, these issues featured very prominently in last weekendâs very successful webinar hosted by Hope Ireland.
In this latest edition of âPlugged-Inâ CrĂostĂona NĂ LaimhĂn outlines her take on some of the pro-life stories making the news.Â
The huge increase in ambulance call outs in Wales following DIY abortions, the upcoming Roe V Wade movie which will shed a light on how abortion became legal in the US, and the huge amount of money being spent on abortion provision in Ireland with no focus on positive alternatives to women.Â
A panel of nine disability rights advocates, medical professionals, and suicide prevention experts took issue with the DĂĄilâs euthanasia bill.
Close to 1,000 people registered to attend the online conference against euthanasia and assisted suicide hosted by Hope Ireland.
Baroness Ilora Finlay, one of Europe's leading palliative care consultants said that "This is really dangerous what is being proposed. And I donât think itâs wise for the population to go down this route and have suicide prevention policies for some, but not others.â She stressed that very few people request to have their lives ended because they are experiencing pain, even though the public perception is that people request euthanasia on these grounds.
Kathleen Rogers, who has Motor Neurone Disease, said that politicians who voted for euthanasia may be unaware that the message their vote sends to people like her is that her life is less worthy thanothers. She spoke about the need to send a strong message that every human life has dignity and value, and no one should be made feel like they are a burden on others.Â
Conor Lynott, recent UCD graduate and young disability rights advocate said the introduction of euthanasia in Ireland would have a huge cultural impact and inevitably lead to an increase in people with a disability or terminal illness feeling that they are a burden on society.Â
Joan Freeman, founder of Pieta House and the Centre for the Prevention of Self harm or Suicide told the conference that "If this Bill goes through, we are sending a very clear message to people who are facing the end of life: We're telling them there is no hope, there is no care, and that they are a burden." She also said that there was a need for a new narrative on how we speak about the issue of death and suicide prevention, making every member of society feel valued.
Elma Walsh of the Donal Walsh #LiveLife Foundation spoke movingly about her son Donal who died in 2013 from cancer after reaching national prominence encouraging young people to cherish the opportunity of life that they had been given. Elma reflected on her experience of palliative care when her son was ill, and how this care enabled him and the whole family to better come to terms with the situation they were facing.Â
For more information visit the Hope Ireland website, and watch videos from the conference on their YouTube channel.
Join Our PLC Network Webinar on TOMORROW, 13th March with special guest Elizabeth Howard, spokesperson for âBe Here For Meâ on reaching out to women outside abrtion facilities.
The webinar will also include a grassroots activists panel discussion!
The webinar will take place from 11AM - 12NOON.
Participation is free but pre-registration is essential.
The aim of this campaign is to encourage people to get involved with the PLC. We really need your help with this.
We are looking for some motivational videos and pictures. If you could take a few minutes today or tomorrow to do any of the following this would really help make a difference
-Â TAKE A SHORT VIDEOÂ of yourself (20 Seconds max) telling people why you are pro-life or your favourite pro-life quote and encouraging other people to get involved - finish with the words "Change begins with you"
and/orÂ
-Â TAKE A SELFIEÂ of yourself holding up a homemade sign with the words "Change begins with You!"
Please text or whatsapp 0868246507, or send by email to [email protected]
Would you like to experience working with a pro-active Human Rights organisation?
If you would like, APPLY HERE to our exciting virtual  intern programme for students!
Participants on the programme will have an opportunity to network with other young people and develop skills in advocacy, campaign management and project planning.
Internships run for one-week periods and are suitable for second level (Transition year or older) and third level students.
Each intern will do 4 hours supervised work each day and will be working on areas such as social media, contact with members of the movement nationwide, project planning and contributing to support work for women and their babies.
Internships are not paid, however expenses will be covered.
If you or a family member is interested, please complete the below form and we will be in touch with you presently. Placements are subject to availability.Â
Vital Signs is the e-newsletter of the Pro Life Campaign. We hope you and your families are keeping well in these unusual times. 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]
