There’s a history of cancer in my family. My grandmother passed away from leukemia. One of my cousins beat non-Hodgkins lymphoma, and another is a breast cancer survivor. Her father was not as lucky in his own battle with cancer. Two months after his death, a second uncle also died of cancer.
With my family history, understanding the steps I could take to reduce the risk of cancer was critical. So when I learned about the HPV vaccine, which virtually eliminates the risk of certain types of cancer, I wanted to make sure I was immunized. But my insurance wouldn’t pay for it. I quickly learned that without insurance coverage, the series of shots would cost hundreds of dollars — a cost I couldn’t afford.
Thank goodness for Planned Parenthood. The staff at the health center in Topsham found a vaccine assistance program for me that would cover the cost of the shots.
I am now protected against the strains of HPV that cause 70 percent of cervical cancer. Thanks to the care I got at Planned Parenthood, I have one less worry about cancer.
My story is no different from millions of others, and it serves as one more example of the crucial and life-saving care Planned Parenthood provides every day. It’s no surprise Planned Parenthood is the most trusted women’s health care provider in this country. For nearly 100 years, Planned Parenthood has provided birth control, lifesaving cancer screenings, STI testing, safe abortion and other high-quality health care. In fact, one in five women has been to a Planned Parenthood health center for care.
As a patient, I receive high-quality, affordable and compassionate care at every visit. I am listened to, have my questions answered, and leave my appointment knowing I have a health care provider I can count on — no matter what.
But today, my health care provider, Planned Parenthood, is under attack.
Over the summer, a group with close ties to organizations and individuals who have been linked to firebombing abortion clinics and threatening the physical safety of doctors released a series of smear videos attempting to discredit Planned Parenthood and the care it provides.
These videos are a fraud.
They have been discredited multiple times by multiple sources. The real agenda of these attacks is clear: to ban safe and legal abortion and limit women’s access to reproductive health care at Planned Parenthood.
That’s why the vast majority of the public rejects this extreme political agenda and rejects the fraudulent campaign behind it:
— A recent poll found that a solid majority of Americans have a favorable view of Planned Parenthood — virtually unchanged from a year ago. Even among those who think abortion should be banned in all cases, more than one-third have a favorable view of Planned Parenthood.
— In a different poll, 64 percent of voters, including 72 percent of independents, disagree with attempts to defund Planned Parenthood and voters overwhelmingly say they would support a candidate who favors funding Planned Parenthood over a candidate who supports defunding the organization.
— Finally, a majority of Americans support federal funding for Planned Parenthood’s preventive services, and strongly oppose attempts to block millions of patients across the country from accessing care at Planned Parenthood’s health centers.
It is unbelievable that today, in 2015, women’s health care is being used a political football to advance an agenda held by several extreme members of Congress who are determined to deny critical health care to women — that’s what defunding Planned Parenthood really means.
When you hear politicians talk about defunding Planned Parenthood, they are talking about preventing Planned Parenthood from receiving federal funds to provide health care to low-income patients or from participating in specific public health programs, like breast and cervical cancer screening programs, family planning programs, sex education programs, or infant mortality prevention programs.
Planned Parenthood health centers are often in medically underserved communities, and other providers simply are not able to serve Planned Parenthood’s patients.
If Planned Parenthood is defunded, millions of low-income women who rely on Planned Parenthood for their primary health care will have nowhere else to turn — they will simply go without care.
Today, Congress is expected to vote on whether or not to defund my health care provider — Planned Parenthood — and deny health care to millions of low-income women.
I look to our representatives to stand up for me and the thousands of Maine women who depend on the quality health care they receive at Planned Parenthood. I expect them to fight for primary care, cancer screenings and reproductive health care and reject these dishonest attacks.
Amy Cookson is a patient of Planned Parenthood of Northern New England and resident of Winthrop.