Media Center: Press Release

National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers Highlights Dangers Physicians Faced Then and Now

New York, NY—Physicians for Reproductive Choice and Health (PRCH) today delivered a letter to nine doctors who provided abortions before the Roe v. Wade decision, signed by hundreds of grateful supporters.  The letter thanks pre-Roe providers for their “endless courage and commitment to women’s health” in the years before abortion was legalized.  The full letter is available online.  PRCH delivered the letter today in honor of the National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers, and in commemoration of this year’s 35th anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision.

This past December, three health clinics in New Mexico were vandalized; one abortion clinic belonging to Dr. Curtis Boyd was destroyed.  Since the Roe decision, there have been 1,335 acts of vandalism against abortion clinics, and seven abortion providers have been killed.  “The past months have reminded us all of the risks these heroic doctors face,” noted Dr. Wendy Chavkin, immediate past board chair of PRCH.

“Dr. Boyd risked his career to take care of women before Roe v. Wade,” said Dr. Chavkin.  “Thirty-five years later, he faces the prospect of rebuilding his medical practice.  These attacks highlight why we need to remember and honor the providers who fought to make abortion legal, safe, and available in the United States.  We also need to ensure that the next generation of doctors has the opportunity to be trained and provide abortions in their medical practice.”

The National Day of Appreciation for Abortion Providers began in 1996 as a way to honor the memory of Dr. David Gunn, a provider shot and killed by anti-choice extremists.  Each year, reproductive rights organizations thank the courageous physicians and healthcare providers who offer abortion care to women in the United States.

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