Against all the odds, the premiere of the film Unplanned, under the patronage of his Excellency the President of Malta Dr George Vella, went ahead. The audience included a number of distinguished guests. It was a lovely evening and the film was very well-received, with the general comments being that it is a very realistic film and should be made available to the general public, especially women and teenage girls.

The film is based on the true story of former pro choice Planned Parenthood employee Abby Johnson. Abby started out thinking that she was helping women: all she ever wanted to do was help women. Her work at  Planned Parenthood involved her being part of upwards of 22,000 abortions as she counselled countless women on their reproductive choices.

As one of the youngest Planned Parenthood clinic directors in the nation, she believed in a woman’s right to choose – until the day she saw something that changed everything! The clinic was short of staff and she was asked to go in and help during an ultrasound guided abortion. What she saw touched her to the core: for the very first time she saw what abortion does to an unborn child in the womb and to the girls undergoing the procedure.

This film is an educational must see for all who believe in informed choices.  Some voices who profess to be all for choice are, regrettably, trying to stop the public from seeing this film – going so far as to say that the public screening of the film is irresponsible and that it appears to promote untruths. Lies, lies and only lies!

The whole point of the film is to show abortion for what it really is, for what it does to the unborn and what it does to women. The man playing the abortionist in the first procedure is Dr Anthony Levatino, an OB/GYN with 40 years of experience and a former abortion practitioner. The woman playing his nurse is a retired abortion surgical nurse. The bottom line is that Planned Parenthood is a corporation that kills babies for money. When that’s your business model, you can’t ever tell the truth – and you have to call anyone who opposes you a liar. The film cannot be more factual and realistic than that! It also exposes the lie that abortion can ever be considered as healthcare.

The Premiere, under the Patronage of the President of Malta, supported fund-raising for the crisis pregnancy Life Line Malta. Run by the support arm of Life Network Foundation, Life Line Malta offers a 24/7 chat service combined with telephone assistance as well as face-to-face support and counselling. We offer support as needed to pregnant girls, their partners and sometimes to whole families. Our skilled listeners and counsellors walk with these girls through the pregnancy and for as long as needed afterwards.

We have already saved seven babies from abortion and we are currently helping 22 women. We also assist women with a negative prenatal diagnosis. Each and every life is valuable, has intrinsic dignity and needs to be acknowledged, however short it may be. Celebrating these lives gives closure to the whole family. We also accompany men and women seeking post-abortion healing – both need help and we are there for them. Our support also includes access to a maternity shelter programme for pregnant girls where they can have a safe home environment for up to a year.

Obviously, the pro-abortion lobby masquerading as promoting choice are up in arms, trying to discredit the film and the message that it portrays. Their arguments are pitiful and miss the main message of the film completely. They also go so far as to say that the public should not see this film – which does not bode well for future discussions. 

One wonders who is really pro women and prochoice as the debate heats up. To resort to lies and to try and shame our dignitaries because they support us in helping women in crisis pregnancies is shameful to say the least! I extend an open invitation to all who are pro-abortion to hear Dr Levatino’s live testimony in Malta later this month. He will be speaking from real experience, not made-up buzz words. It is such experiences that have changed the scenario in many countries, resulting in the closure of many abortion facilities.

 

Dr Miriam Sciberras is Chairman of the Life Network Foundation, Malta