Dr. Susan Wicklund at Women and Children First Bookstore
I heard Dr. Wicklund speak several months ago, reading from her book This Common Secret: My Journey as an Abortion Doctor. It was one of the most moving readings I'd been to in a long time, and many of us in the room were full-out sobbing as we listened to her story.
Dr Wicklund began as a self-avowed hippie living in a tent in the Midwest. In 1976, she her own abortion under awful circumstances, with a physician who was rough and uncaring. She went on to have a wonderful homebirth several years later, trained as a midwife, attended births herself and made the decision to go to medical school. When the opportunity to learn to provide abortions came up, she saw an unmet need and eventually opened her own clinic, determined to provide better care than the kind she recieved. Dr. Wicklund was personally targeted by violent anti-abortion protestors and the book also chronicles the lengths she went to to keep herself, her family and her staff safe. It's a powerful book and she's a great speaker.
Here is Dr. Wicklund reading at Women and Children First Bookstore in Chicago, filmed by Book TV. If you don't have time to watch the entire reading, Viva La Feminista has a great rundown of the evening.
Nell
Cherie (wasn't there a dirty magazine by that name in the '70s?), Dr. Nathanson openly supports murderous attacks against abortion docs.
Google up his contribution to "Killing Abortionists: A Symposium" in FIRST THINGS.
Posted by: SoMG | Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 01:38 AM
I am praying for her often during the 40 days for life campaign. May she, like Bernard Nathanson, some day see the light. Read his book, it is very enlightening. Watch his video, it shows the truth.
Posted by: cherie | Wednesday, October 08, 2008 at 12:59 AM
I just heard Dr. Wicklund on NPR and her stories are amazing. I can't wait to read this book.
Thank you for sharing and for the work you do.
Posted by: Noticed | Wednesday, August 20, 2008 at 09:27 AM
This is one of my favourite books, and one I think everyone should read, no matter what your position on abortion. What Dr. Wicklund went through to help women is amazing. When you think about all the other abortion doctors across North America in similar circumstances, it boggles the mind.
Posted by: pedgehog | Sunday, August 17, 2008 at 05:34 PM
What a wonderful woman to risk her life in order to help others. God bless her and I will most certainly be buying this book!
Posted by: Mellankelly | Saturday, August 02, 2008 at 01:59 PM
How proud must she be having dedicated her life to ended the lives of others!
Posted by: PitiesChoicers | Friday, August 01, 2008 at 09:33 PM