Birthdays. Although we recognize that our birthdays are a celebration of our day of birth, it sometimes seems like this point is lost out on in a world full of presents and parties, a world fixated on the act of celebrating instead of on the reason for celebration. Do you celebrate birthdays or BIRTHdays?
Today, I can think of no better BIRTHday present for a friend of mine, Courtney, then to share her story with you. Seventeen years ago today, Courtney was born after her twin brother was aborted earlier in their birthmother’s pregnancy. After the abortion was completed and her twin lost his life, Courtney’s birthmother chose life for her, after it was discovered that she was carrying her.
Happy BIRTHday, Courtney, otherwise affectionately known as “June Baby.” God bless you on his special day. And God bless your birthmother for choosing life for you. Because of the gift of life and love you were given and because of your willingness to be an advocate for life, I have no doubt that many more children will be blessed with BIRTHdays, too.
Here’s Courtney’s story in her own words:
I’m a product of a failed abortion.
Fifty-five million other babies were not as fortunate as me. My name is Courtney. I’m sixteen years young. When I was 14, I was told that I am adopted.
When I was 14, I also learned that there was much more to the story of my life. Not only am I adopted, but I am an abortion survivor. When my birthmother was somewhere around 7 weeks pregnant, she had an abortion. Five weeks or so later, she went for a post-op checkup, and it was discovered that I was there in the womb. She didn’t know that she was pregnant with twins when she had the abortion.
Yes, sadly, my twin was aborted. And when it was discovered that I was still in the womb, I know that my birthmother had the option then to have another abortion. By then, she had seen my face and heard my heart beating. By the love of God, she said no to that abortion. She had a choice. She could let me go, and live life with that regret. Or she could let me live and give me to a loving family.
She chose the best for me. On June 19th, 1996, my adoptive got a phone call saying that my birth mom was having pains and didn’t thinkthat I was going to live. Shortly later, I was born at approximately 27 weeks. The doctors had no faith that I would continue to live.
After three months of being in the hospital, they sent me home. Weighing only one pound, two ounces, they didn’t even bother to send home a sleep apnea machine with me, as they didn’t think that I would live through the winter. Well, how about that doctors?! I’m sixteen years old, and still ‘a kickin’!
CLICK LIKE IF YOU’RE PRO-LIFE!
All kidding aside, though, it has been a long journey for me. When I was seven years old, I had many trips to the hospital. I was later diagnosed with Crohn’s Disease and Right Hydronephrosis. I treat them now with a strict diet (as strict as a 16-year-old like me can).
In the summer of 2011, I had my first foot surgery. Over the past three years, I’ve now had four surgeries altogether. And I’m still ‘a kickin’. Honestly, I’m alive and well today not just because of my own strength, but because my mother chose life for me over an abortion and because of the love and help of my loving family and friends.
I started slowly opening up to close friends over the past couple of years about everything that I’ve gone through, and in January 2013, I started speaking publicly about it. I have now spoken to groups ranging from 5 to a little over 100 people, and I’m hoping that one day I can change the lives of people when it comes to abortion. It’s a choice–a choice between life and death for a child. A baby is a gift from God and NEVER a mistake.
I am a miracle and I believe God put me here for many reasons. I think two of them are to change lives, and to help people who need it.
