Building relationships and changing lives

As October is designated as “Respect Life Month,” our hearts and minds are called to the attention of a pressing need in your midst. That need exists in the areas where life is preserved and protected at its earliest stages—the three pregnancy clinics in our diocese. While the overall cultural response to a crisis pregnancy is to remove the pregnancy, the Christian response, the loving response, is removing the crisis instead.

Volunteers developed a facility, known as FirstChoice Clinic, to provide for the prenatal and postnatal needs of women in Fargo in 1984. In 2010, their services were expanded to a Bismarck location. The services and people utilizing them at the new location surged, and the diocese soon welcomed two more clinics to assist those in need—Dakota Hope Clinic in Minot in 2013 and Badlands Choice Clinic in Dickinson in 2015. All three were born out of the conviction that underserved women needed help, and they continue to provide the people of the diocese with great love and dedication for the families who walk through their doors. All three clinics currently offer pregnancy testing, ultrasound, decision-making services, and pregnancy education and support—every service for free. All focus on the needs of the client as a whole, including aspects such as medical, emotional, educational, material, and spiritual, during and after the pregnancy itself.

Dakota Hope Clinic, in their four short years, has scheduled more than 2,000 client appointments, serving the needs of more than 518 individual clients who are primarily in their 20s and often have no health insurance.

"About 70% of those tested have a positive pregnancy test and about 50% are at risk for choosing abortion," Director Nadia Smetana said. "In our culture today, abortion has become the 'top of the mind' response." Smetana said these young women face additional pressures due to unhealthy relationships, lack of support from the baby’s father and not wanting to disappoint those they love. They also struggle with other life issues such as lack of housing, career pressures and financial concerns related to the costs of raising a child. This resonates with the sobering statistic that 84% of women who end up having abortions nation-wide felt pressured into doing so.

This pressure can evolve into instant regret, which is why FirstChoice Clinic is thrilled to share that earlier this year, staff assisted a client in reversing the effects of the RU-486 medical abortion pill, and a few months later, helped welcome that little one into the world. The healthy, nine-pound infant boy’s arrival happened through the brave mother’s change of heart and assistance from FirstChoice Clinic.
 
According to Denise Cota, Fargo nurse manager, the client had been conflicted over her decision to abort her child through medical means, and began having more doubts after ingesting one of three pills given to her by the abortion clinic. She had previously sought out FirstChoice Clinic for counseling, and had exchanged numbers with Denise, whom she texted to ask whether it was too late to change her mind.
 
“We connected her with our medical director, Dr. Richard Vetter, who was able to counsel her on the reversal of the pill," Denise explained. "By the next morning, we had her prescription called into the pharmacy, and an ultrasound scheduled at our clinic. And soon, we had the joy of witnessing the beautiful visual of a baby with a heartbeat safely tucked into his mother's womb."
 
Angela Wambach, FirstChoice executive director, said the coordination that helped bring about the reversal was a tremendous achievement. She added that the abortion-pill reversal was the first that they know of in North Dakota, and that she hopes that by sharing about this successful outcome, others will know it’s possible to save a baby’s life this way with prompt attention.
 
Also, the staff at FirstChoice has been excited to introduce a new class series to supplement the “Earn While You Learn” parenting education program. The “Life Skills” program, which happens in a class-like setting, brings not only education to clients, but the chance for clients to connect with one another and have an opportunity to develop a sense of community through the clinic.
 
“When a baby comes, the lives of our clients are changed," Angela said. “The Life Skills classes provide an opportunity for them to connect with other families, other women in a similar situation in life, and we see friendships and connections made with one another.” Community members with expertise to offer in these classes is encouraged to contact FirstChoice for more information.
The scope and focus of Dickinson’s Badlands Choice Clinic is likewise growing. Having scheduled 450 client appointments since opening in November of 2015, the clinic has been paying particular attention to national trends, local needs, and the needs of millennials, and has discerned to add sexual health services to what they currently provide.

“Sexual health includes pregnancy, and has pregnancy at its heart,” noted Katie Vidmar, Badlands Choice Clinic Executive Director. She explained that expanded sexual health services allows staff to educate and build relationships with a core demographic—sexually-active teens and young adults.

“It’s about relationships,” said Marlo Nelson, Badlands Choice Clinic Board President. “We believe that sexual health services are key for reaching millennials, who tend to be more skeptical. Expanded services, along with accreditation with nationally recognized and respected medical groups, verify our credibility as true medical clinics,” Nelson said.
Vidmar added, “If teens already know and trust the care we’ve provided them through sexual health services, we’ll be their first call if they think they might be pregnant.”

To begin implementing the sexual health model, Badlands Choice Clinic is partnering with the international women’s health organization FEMM, which focuses on fostering “body literacy” so young women can track their health, understand the risks of sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and take charge of their fertility. 

“The FEMM program gives our staff the in-depth knowledge needed to truly be the ‘sexual health experts’ in our community, and is already opening doors in the public junior high, high school and college,” said Vidmar. Badlands Choice Clinic is also planning for an initial expansion of medical services to include STI testing and treatment in early 2018.

In another effort to head off the issue of unplanned pregnancy upstream, Badlands Choice Clinic is partnering with Dickinson Trinity High School on an event aimed at empowering parents to talk to their teens about sex. On Thursday, Nov. 2, at 6:30 p.m. parents and community members are invited to the Black Box Theater at Dickinson Trinity for “The Whole Sex Talk.” This ecumenical event features a team of local educators, youth ministers, and medical professionals in an interactive panel discussion on how issues of sexuality impact local teens. A free will offering will be taken. 

Dakota Hope Clinic in Minot also provides services such as male advocacy (separate services for the father of the baby) and testing and treatment for certain STIs. First Responder training, available to churches and other organizations, helps others learn to respond with compassion and grace to people impacted by an unintended pregnancy. "If financial resources allow, we hope to take the message of sexual integrity that we teach to clients out into the community to parents, churches and schools," Director Smetana said. "We want to reach students in time to help them make healthy choices in their relationships."

With so many exciting new and continued services to reach those in most desperate need of assistance, all three clinics need the faithful’s help through prayers and the financial blessings. Contact the clinic nearest you, donate online or attend one of their fundraising events.
  
How can I help?
FirstChoice Clinic of Bismarck (firstchoiceclinic.com): Supporters can attend the “Friends Night Out” event, which will take place 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., on Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the Ramkota in Bismarck. The event will feature guest speaker Gianna Jessen, who survived an attempt at a saline abortion as a baby, and now travels throughout the country to witness to life. Invitations will be mailed to past participants and others on the FirstChoice mailing list, but all are welcome to attend. To register for this event, contact Shelle at shelle@ firstchoiceclinic.com or 701-751-4575.
 
Dakota Hope Clinic of Minot (dakotahope.org): All are invited to the annual Festival of Trees on Saturday, Nov. 18, at the Minot Holiday Inn. Open to the public, this festive occasion features hors d'oeuvres, live music, a silent auction, raffle, and the evening's highlight—a live auction of beautifully-crafted, individually decorated Christmas trees. Tickets are $20 in advance (contact the clinic) or $25 at the door. You can find them on Facebook and at 701-852-4675.
 
Badlands Choice Clinic of Dickinson (badlandschoiceclinic.com): Donations can be made online and all are invited to consider a monthly donation through the “Give for 12” sustaining gift program. Their signature event, its annual fundraising banquet, will be held Thursday, March 8, 2018. 
 
—Staff report