By Katelyn Needham/editor-in-chief
I am one of the millions of uninsured college students.
I am also one of the millions of people whom Planned Parenthood has helped.
Polycystic ovary syndrome runs in my family. My grandma had cantaloupe-sized tumors on her ovaries, and my mother had to have a complete hysterectomy. It’s safe to say that women’s health is important for my family.
So when I ended up in the hospital after a ruptured ovarian cyst, I knew I needed to do something pretty quickly to prevent things from escalating.
Being uninsured, the hospital bills were overwhelming. Few OB-GYN doctors will see people who don’t have insurance.
It seemed like it was one thing after another preventing me from getting the health care I needed.
Thankfully, Planned Parenthood had a branch office not too far from my house. One of the things that helps prevent cysts from recurring is taking birth control. Planned Parenthood accepted me as a patient and helped me find a birth control that is right for my body.
I haven’t had a new cyst develop since I started my prescription and am endlessly thankful for the care I received there.
Trump has recently signed a bill that allows states to withhold family planning funds from organizations like Planned Parenthood that provide access to abortion services.
If Texas chooses to defund Planned Parenthood, there are so many people who won’t have the option I did. There will be people who won’t have access to STD/I testing, sexual education and more.
Organizations like Planned Parenthood are important in the continuation of accessibility to affordable health care.
Providing information about abortion is not reason enough for millions of men and women to go without help.
