In defense of Wichita’s only abortion clinic

I received this letter from Julie Burkhart and I am posting it here. -Otto

Julie A. Burkhart, Founder and CEO, Trust Women and South Wind Women's Center:  Each of us put our intentions and actions into the world everyday.  What we do has consequences and shapes the world around us. Our actions may be large or small, but they make a difference.  Even choosing to do nothing is an action in it's own way.  Some times our most profound actions, the ones that change the course of our lives or of someone else's life, come when we answer a call and say yes.  Dr. Tiller became an abortion provider because his father's patients asked him for help.  He became a later abortion provider because patients asked him for his help.   I know that each of you have answered a call at some point to join this movement. At Trust Women, we are all here because we said yes.  We opened South Wind Women's Center so that people who needed care would have a place they could turn to when they need it most. In most cases, we only know a few facts about our patients' lives. We know they need our help.  That's enough for us.  We know that whatever happens later in our patients' lives, this moment was one where they received help, one when they were able to ask for assistance and be told "yes, we can help you."   This is why we continue to work to provide the best care possible; why we fight each new restriction; why we speak out and share the truth about abortion.  Even when it's hard, even when our allies don't defend us, even when we're threatened. It's worth it. It's worth it to be able to say yes for once.  We all have the capacity to do what we know is right. We all have the ability to answer the call to help others even when it's hard or scary.  Even when it seems like our small actions won't change anything, they matter.  Your help, and your willingness to stand with us are what have allowed us to help over 4,700 patients since we opened.  Together, we are able to "say yes."