Last week Irin Carmon published the heartbreaking story of the Davis family in Oklahoma. If you haven't read this story please click this link: http://www.msnbc.com/...
I read this story shortly after it was published. This story made my heart hurt! I couldn't stop thinking about this family. In my comfortable day to day life I can't even begin to imagine the pain that Jessica and Erick must have felt as they weighed all of their options.
Unfortunately, the State of Oklahoma and their radical Republican controlled government and the "family values" and anti choice groups ensured that the Davis family had very limited options. The Republicans had steamrolled the Democratic minority in the legislature and passed a host of anti abortion measures that were signed in to law by the "family values" Governor, Mary Fallin.
The State had successfully inserted themselves in to the middle of the Doctor/Patient relationship and ensured that Ms. Davis really had no choice in making any personal decisions about her own reproductive choices. She would be forced by the State to carry to term and give birth to a newborn with a painful terminal condition. This should have been a personal decision Ms. Davis herself made.
Sadly, this family, is in desperate financial straits right now.
I really wanted to do something for Jessica and Erick but I didn't know where to begin. I had no way to contact them. I tweeted Ms. Carmon after reading the story, asking if there were some way to provide some assistance. She was exceedingly kind and wrote me back that there may be some way to help out.
Early this week Ms. Carmon notified me that there was a Facebook page started to help Jessica and Erick. An "Angel" in Oklahoma City had set this up along with a "YouCaring.com" fundraiser.
I would like to ask you to please take a few moments to read the moving article on MSNBC.com and if there is some way you feel you can provide a "helping hand" for Jessica and Erick please visit the following pages:
https://www.facebook.com/...
http://www.youcaring.com/...
Thank you for taking the time to read this and thank you for your generosity!