By: Brian Sikma

Just before Thanksgiving, Planned Parenthood of Indiana distributed a press release announcing that for the first time ever they were offering gift certificates that could be redeemed at any one of their 35 locations around the state. The press release suggested that these gift certificates would make a wonderful and appropriate Christmas or holiday gift for someone you know.

As we approach that season of the year when we celebrate the greatest birth in all the world, the birth of the Christ-child, it is deeply unfortunate that Planned Parenthood of Indiana has taken this opportunity to promote their dark practices. As we celebrate birth and take a little extra time to recognize those who may need our assistance and kindness as they struggle through a difficult period in their life, we should give no place to organizations or entities that promote an agenda and culture of needless and unwarranted death.

The values and virtues of thankfulness, generosity, love, peace, joy, kindness and life are what we celebrate at this season. These qualities define what it means to have a respect and love for humanity and they are hardly the attributes of Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood has a dark history of promoting abortion irrespective of the situation or the dictates of ethics and love. No other single organization has done more to implement in practice the concept that unborn life is not worthy of our respect and not worthy of the protection which we or government would offer it.

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One would hope that Planned Parenthood would see the sad irony of their actions this Christmas season. Given their record of refusing to be transparent in their dealings and honest in their accounting of what goes on at their clinics, it is not likely that the organizational conscience that exists within their operation notices the ugliness of what they are promoting at this time of year.

Perhaps this development will serve as a prompter to some of our state’s legislators for a new form of regulation on the abortion industry: the banning of the sale of gift certificates that may be redeemed for the providing of an abortion. While wise legislators understand that government regulation is not often a good thing, when it comes to the matter of protecting life and protecting the basic underlying values that make our culture work, we must boldly stand up for life.

For those that you may know who are involved in a crisis pregnancy and going through a difficult time in their life, the charitable thing to do-especially in light of the time of the year we are in-is to help them seek assistance at a crisis pregnancy center focused on, and dedicated to, the preservation of life.

Here is the press release issued by Planned Parenthood on November 25th:

Give the Gift of Health This Holiday Season

(Indianapolis) – Looking for an unusual, yet practical gift this holiday season? Planned Parenthood of Indiana (PPIN) is now offering gift certificates for services or the recipient’s choice of birth control method. The gift certificates can be purchased in increments of $25 online at www.ppin.org or for any amount at some of PPIN’s 35 health centers. Contact your local health center to see if they offer the certificates.

The gift certificates can be given to women and men to cover essential services like screenings and birth control. Services such as annual exams for women, which include breast exams and Pap tests, typically cost $58.

“Nearly 800,000 Hoosiers don’t have health insurance and can’t afford basic health services. Why not buy a loved one a gift this holiday season that they really need and one that will contribute to their health throughout the year?” asked PPIN President and CEO Betty Cockrum. “The gift certificates are also a wonderful idea for that person in your life who puts everyone else first and has been putting off taking care of her or his own health. Now, there’s no excuse for those people in your life not to get the basic health care that they need.”

This is the first holiday season that PPIN has offered gift certificates. They can be redeemed at any of the 35 PPIN health centers around the state, no matter where they were purchased.

These gift certificates are not just for the uninsured people in your life. PPIN does take some forms of insurance and the gift certificates could be used for co-pays or medication. Please join Planned Parenthood of Indiana and give the gift of health this holiday season.

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Kate Shepherd
Director of Communications and Marketing
Planned Parenthood of Indiana
317-637-4324
kate.shepherd@ppin.org