Reannon’s heart-felt story features in a new DVD, Reannon’s Journey, produced by Pregnancy Crisis Norfolk to mark the 40th anniversary.
At 20, she found out that she was 16 weeks pregnant. This is the local cut-off time for abortion in the Norwich area, so Reannon had little time to consider her options. Biddy explained: “Though Reannon felt that she was dealt with very kindly by the health professionals she saw, she deeply regrets that she was not given the opportunity to explore her innermost feelings with someone outside her situation.”
After her abortion, Reannon was given the number of Pregnancy Crisis Norfolk and went to them for counselling support. The DVD tells of her experience of her abortion, her subsequent pain and the healing that she has now found by going through counselling in a group.
“Being able to tell her story, first for the DVD and then to the APPG, has been an important step for Reannon,” said Biddy. "She is passionate on the need for women to have unbiased and non-judgmental counselling before they make their decision as to whether to terminate a pregnancy or not.
She is grateful to have been given the opportunity to tell her story to those who have influence in high places.”
Reannon’s audience at the Houses of Parliament included Lord David Alton who has campaigned on this issue ever since he became a Member of Parliament, and Jim Dobbin who chairs the group.
Biddy also spoke to the group on behalf of CareConfidential and there were other presentations by Dr Joel Brind on the link between abortion and breast cancer and Dr Patricia Casey who looked at the psychological effects of an abortion.
Reannon’s Journey had its premiere on October 27 at Pregnancy Crisis Norfolk’s Fishergate Centre in Norwich.
They also held a Day of Repentance on Saturday for personal prayer and repentance for the six million abortions that have taken place in this country since 1967.
Biddy said: “We feel that the tide is beginning to turn on the abortion issue. There are an increasing number of articles in the papers, with a recent poll saying that seven out of ten women think that the number of weeks at which abortion is legal, apart from the diagnosis of an abnormality, should be reduced from 24 to 13. Nine out of ten also said that all women should be offered counselling before making their decision.”
You can contact PCN on 01603 616580.
