Alli’s Story
“I have an abortion scheduled for 10:00 a.m.”
The staff member looked at the clock. It was 9:15 a.m.
“Alli” didn’t want to continue with her pregnancy and had only entered Care Net at two friend’s requests. She was reluctant to have an ultrasound, and her friends had accompanied her for emotional support. The client advocate sat down and spoke with her. Sobbing, Alli shared why she was having an abortion. “I’m young. I can’t be a mom!” she stated. Through tears, she explained that she didn’t know the first thing about parenting.
The advocate gently explained what Care Net had to offer and encouraged her to make sure she knew all her options before she made a decision. The advocate explained how Care Net offers free parenting classes, baby supplies and mentoring if she chose to parent her baby. The advocate also discussed the option of adoption. As Alli thought about these options she had never considered, she stated, “No, I couldn’t carry a baby for 9 months and then give it away.”
As Alli listened intently, the client advocate explained the process of having an ultrasound so she could decide if she would like one. Just then, “Aaron,” the father of the baby, called from the abortion center where he was waiting for her. As Alli sobbed, he comforted her and told her he would join her at Care Net. With the support and presence of Aaron and her friends, Alli decided she wanted an ultrasound.
The moment she saw the ultrasound, everything changed.
Her tears evaporated as she gazed in awe at her baby. Aaron stared in shock at what he saw, exclaiming over and over, “That’s amazing!”
Needless to say, she missed her abortion appointment.
All the Difference
Alli entered Care Net, certain she was going to have an abortion. The only reason she walked through those doors was to appease her friends.
She left Care Net with hope. What changed?
At Care Net, she was able to hear about other options, learn about resources and feel cared for. But most of all, she got to meet her baby. That meeting changed everything. For many women like Alli, ultrasounds make all the difference. Without one, many women would never meet their children.
Throughout the years, God has blessed so many through our ultrasound machines.
In 2019, Care Net performed almost 700 ultrasounds, all at no cost to the clients. If an uninsured client were to attend a different clinic, she could pay anywhere from $300-$800 for one ultrasound. But at Care Net she pays nothing, thanks to the generous support of our donors. Over a period of months, our ultrasound machines began to show their age, making it hard for our patients to see their unborn child clearly. Our sonographers could still complete the measurements and read the scan, but we knew it was just a matter of time before the machines would fail. Four of the six machines are over 11 years old. The other two, made by a different company, only lasted 4 ½ years.
So, we found ourselves in need of six ultrasounds. What would these machines cost? Each machine, with taxes and shipping will cost $28,500 for a total of $171,000.
But once again, God has provided for Care Net of Puget Sound. Through the generous support of fellow Christians, the 4US Organization, and the Knights of Columbus (both locally and from their national headquarters), we saw God’s provision for our needs. We also received a few grants from churches, and one church held a Cake Auction for the machines.
By the grace of God, we are grateful to have raised most of the funds needed to replace the machines. As far as raising the remaining funds, we are facing significant expenses such as hiring two to three more RNs who will be trained in ultrasound sonography. Once they are trained, they will be able to help serve the increased demand for ultrasounds in our various locations. We are hoping and praying to continue to raise funds to cover the costs of our expanding ministry.
Once again, we want to thank those organizations, churches and donors who have stepped in to help us meet this emergency need. Please consider a gift to be able to give our patients ultrasounds and enable them also to see their unborn children. God bless you for your help.