We’ve been dealt a few blows this week at the office – and it’s only Tuesday! From trespassing and theft, to a break-in, to a closed-minded article bashing our woman-first policies which are intended to provide women with an empowering, patient-centered healthcare appointment that few other medical services pay any mind to, we’ve combed our security footage and submitted our police reports, but we’ve decided that that’s enough for this week.

We’ve had some amazing discourse in some of our blog’s threads – some even leading to personal relationships, involving real, healthy, open-minded conversation. And then recently, after an article “tsk tsk-ing” the fact that we provide women with options at our facility was published, we’ve received some comments that refer to us and our staff as: “pro-aborts.” “Pro-choice bitches.” “woman haters.” “disgusting.” “sick and twisted.” We’ve had enough of that.

We’ve had a large banner made by hand from a good friend with a good message that made some of our patients feel more confident about a decision that they’d already made as they enter our clinic, despite the judgmental screaming in the background, stolen from our property. We’ve had enough of that.

We’ve had a break-in, with a considerable amount of damage done to our facility that makes us pause and question our own physical safety in our place of work. We’ve had enough of that, too.

This week, despite everything that has been thrown at us, we will be working ten times harder to see that women’s questions are answered on the phone, appointments are made and that women experience the patient-centered, open-minded, non-judgmental, woman-first healthcare that she expects from us when she comes in to our clinic. We’re going to work with her schedule to make sure she can be seen by a physician. We’re going to offer a walk-in appointment for a free ultrasound or free pregnancy test, if she needs it. We’re going to bend over backwards and contact every abortion fund we know of to ensure that she can afford the procedure that she has decided she needs, without the prodding, encouragement or input of anybody outside of herself. We’re going to speak to her, and her alone, to ensure that it is her decision, she has all of her questions answered, she knows how the procedure is performed, and how to take care of herself afterwards. We’re going to make her hot tea while she’s recovering from a surgical procedure, in a comfortable bed. We’re going to be on call for her 24 hours a day. We’re going to visit with her at a follow-up appointment to make sure she’s feeling alright. We’re going to trust that our Room Women project and the women we’ve named them after inspire some of our patients to think about their capabilities as human beings – and more specifically, as women. And that they may be inspired by or even initially exposed to the number of diverse, strong, female leaders and their artwork, poems and quotes from every walk of life, religious affiliation, cultural identification, that we’ve surrounded ourselves by in our clinics.

Whole Woman’s Health has been working to transform healthcare for a long time now, and both we and some of our patients are in awe of what we’ve accomplished. This isn’t an average medical procedure, therefore this isn’t an average medical office. Though we may put up with a lot of name-calling and push-back on a daily basis, it’s mere fodder for the work that we do. We listen to women’s stories. We trust that they know what’s best for themselves. We provide procedures in safe, aggressively inspected facilities that if illegalized would be otherwise provided in unsafe conditions and would ultimately harm women in great numbers. We believe in what we do, and that the women that we see will choose the path that leads her to her own, personal definition of happiness and stability.

We’d like to thank everybody for reading, especially those who read with an open mind, and understand the fact that every individual has their own opinion, belief and path that they should feel free to follow. It is worthy of respect, without harassment from others.