Amy's health matters.
Jackie's health matters.
Rachel's health matters.
Cynthia's health matters.
Nina's health matters.
Your health matters.

"My name is Amy. I'm 27 years old. I live in Fanwood, NJ. Over the past year, as I have been in and out of work and without health insurance, Planned Parenthood and the Plainfield Health Center have provided me with affordable gynecological exams, including pap tests and a colposcopy. The results of these test have come back showing abnormalities. Although they are not currently dangerous, I need to continue having regular tests to make sure that I don't progress towards cervical cancer. Without these programs, it would be a significant financial burden for me to continue having these tests. Governor Christie's budget cuts 100% of funding for women's health services, including routine gynecological exams. Among other services, Planned Parenthood gave pap tests to 65,252 women last year. Why does Christie think that health care is negotiable? To me it is clear that access to affordable health care is a basic human right. Routine pap tests are not a luxury - they are a necessity - for me personally as well as for every woman. In this way, cutting funding for women's health amounts to discrimination against women." Amy, 27

"When you’re a young woman in need of reproductive health care, Planned Parenthood is always there to provide an affordable option without judgment. As a woman in my 20’s I understand the importance of reproductive health care, and recognize how imperative it is for women without health insurance to be able to go to Planned Parenthood for affordable health care." Jackie, 23

"Thank goodness for Planned Parenthood! The knowledgeable staff eased me through uncomfortable situations with their warm demeanors and provided service with professionalism and efficiency. The information Planned Parenthood disperses is in depth yet easy to follow. I am without insurance and have continued to come to Planned Parenthood for years because of the affordable and high quality services offered to all clients regardless of background. Thank you, Planned Parenthood!" Rachel, 24

"As a busy college student away from home, family planning centers have helped me stay on the ball.  They were able to see me on such short notice, and they were able to provide me with the birth control I needed.  I was seen very quickly, and a kind nurse made sure I was completely informed on the birth control I was using.  Despite having used the same method for several years, I was impressed with how much value was placed on making sure the patient - in this case, me - was fully informed about all the decisions being made about their health.  When I saw the physician, he was caring and professional, and made sure that I was both physically and emotionally well. I valued my experience at Planned Parenthood very much.  I felt cared for and cared about.  Thanks to Planned Parenthood, I was able to get something when I needed it most.  My need is small in comparison, however, to the thousands of men and women in New Jersey who turn to Planned Parenthood as their primary health care providers.  I just needed a birth control refill, but there are women in this state who need pregnancy care and cancer screenings, and may not have anywhere else to go.  Planned Parenthood was there for me, and it should be there for anyone else who needs its invaluable services too." Cynthia, 20

"When I was seventeen, I had my first major relationship. I was a college bound junior in high school and my partner already had a child from a previous relationship. I was not ready to be a mother and jeopardize my ability to go to a four-year institution and so I devised a plan. I knew a lot about sex and reproduction not from my parents, but from all the books I read on the subject during my countless hours in the county library; the only place I was allowed to wander freely.  In Our Bodies, Ourselves, there is a huge, exhaustive chapter on birth control methods. After reading them over, I decided on a form of birth control that was best for me. I made an appointment with my GYN and I went to get my shot. The reception from both the support staff and the doctors was chilly. I would sit in the waiting room for hours after my pre-scheduled appointment time and watch a revolving door of pregnant girls younger than me be helped first. To them, my desire to prevent pregnancy was less pressing than the girls who needed prenatal care.

I put up with their blatant disrespect of what I thought was a responsible decision until it all came to a head. For years I had been suffering with an inflamed Bartholin Cyst. In more than one visit to the office, I told my doctor it was bothering me and every time she assured me it was normal. When it became difficult to sit, walk, and go to the bathroom, I went back to the doctor. My regular physician was on vacation and the Nurse Practitioner who saw me took one look at it and told me it would need to be incised. That day. She asked me why I didn’t tell someone about it sooner. She didn’t seem to believe me when I told her I’d been complaining about it for years. My mother drove me to the doctor because I was in too much pain to drive myself and she came in to comfort me. For thirty minutes, I laid there and endured whispering and scoffing at the size of my cyst. They incised it in the office with no numbing aids and sent me on my way. That procedure was the most humiliating and degrading medical experience I have ever endured. I left that office that afternoon and never went back.

When I got to college, I was fortunate enough to have a Planned Parenthood very close to campus. Whereas returning to the office of my GYN was no longer an option, I knew I needed to maintain regular visits to ensure the health of my reproductive organs. I went to Planned Parenthood and the reception from them was warm and inviting. They understood why I was there and the intake nurse was horrified at how I’d been treated by my GYN.
I was surprised at how welcoming they were and how willing they were to answer any and all of my questions. I went back to that Planned Parenthood often and I eventually had an internship in their office and acted as the student liaison between Planned Parenthood and the student organization, VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood. I still keep in contact with a lot of the women who were kind to me when I needed it the most. One of them is my nearest and dearest friend.

Planned Parenthood changed my life. At seventeen, I was convinced that my decision to go on birth control was a mistake because of how blatantly I was disrespected. I thought all GYNs did was cater to the needs of pregnant women and disregard the needs of women who chose to prevent pregnancy until they were ready to be parents.

I am twenty-six now and I still know that it’s important to have regular check ups and STI/STD screenings. I no longer have the luxury of choosing a primary care physician and showing up at a doctor’s office with my co-pay in hand. I am one of the millions of Americans without medical insurance, but I know Planned Parenthood will treat me and that what I pay them will be based on my income and their sliding scale.

In this ailing economy with a horrendous job market, there are many things I have to worry about. Preserving the health of my reproductive organs is not one of them because of Planned Parenthood. I do not trust anyone else." Nina, 26

Your health matters. Tell us your story. Email jessica.ohanlon@plannedparenthoodnj.org for more information.