Meet Cherish, a determined criminal justice student with a dream of attending law school and becoming a lawyer. She was on the brink of graduation, with only four classes remaining, when life took an unexpected turn. She discovered she was pregnant.
She works two jobs at the same time as she is taking college classes. When she applied for Medicaid, she was told her income was too high to qualify. She had no idea where to turn for support and medical care, and she was unsure if she could afford to keep her baby. She attended her first prenatal appointment at a local doctor’s office and was charged $2,800 for her blood work, ultrasound, and doctor’s visit. She had no choice but to pay the bill with a credit card.
She was so close to graduation that she questioned if now was the time to have a child. She was not ready, had no resources, and certainly could not maintain the cost of prenatal care throughout her pregnancy. Abortion seemed her only option. She was unsure of her next steps, so she continued her pregnancy in denial.
Her mom started calling various doctors’ offices, asking if they would offer discounted services to a young mother without insurance. No one wanted to help. As a grandma, she wanted to help her daughter keep her baby, but their options were limited.
Cherish looked into abortion options. She was devastated that she might have to make this choice, knowing she would never forgive herself.
Another Way
Finally, her mother heard about The Luke Clinic, and Cherish made the call to schedule an appointment. As Cherish listened to the nurse on the other end of the phone, she began to realize there might be another way to keep her baby. Grandma cried out, “Praise you, Jesus!” in the background while Cherish answered questions about her health history.
The first time they visited The Luke Clinic, Cherish went straight to get an ultrasound before seeing a doctor. She could not believe that she might be able to keep this baby. As the ultrasound tech scanned her, she began to see beautiful, clear 3D images of her child. She and her mother wept, thanking Jesus for His mercy and grace. They both said that, looking back, that was the moment they knew everything would be alright.
Cherish is now 29 weeks pregnant and looking forward to meeting her precious daughter for the first time. Every time she comes to the clinic, she gets an ultrasound and never gets tired of seeing her daughter’s face. She has quite the collection of ultrasound pictures and thanks God for His provision for her when she thought she was alone and had no choice but to go through with an abortion.
Cherish’s story is a powerful testament to the challenges and decisions many expectant mothers face, particularly those in difficult financial and personal circumstances. Her journey highlights several critical issues:
Access to Life-Affirming Christian Care: Free prenatal care and support are crucial for women who might otherwise feel forced into abortion due to lack of insurance or access to care. Cherish found care that upheld her faith values, ensured a healthier pregnancy, and affirmed her dignity, offering her compassion and practical help in line with her biblical values.
Healthcare Access and Affordability: Cherish’s struggle to afford prenatal care without insurance underscores the need for more accessible and affordable healthcare options for pregnant women. The high cost of medical care can drive expectant mothers to consider options like abortion out of financial necessity rather than choice.
Support Systems: Cherish’s experience shows the importance of having a supportive network. Her mother’s efforts to find affordable care and emotional support were crucial in helping Cherish navigate her pregnancy. This emphasizes the role that family and community support play in the well-being of expectant mothers.
Educational and Career Aspirations: Balancing education, work, and pregnancy can be overwhelming. Despite her circumstances, Cherish’s determination to graduate and become a lawyer reflects the challenges many women face in pursuing their dreams while managing unexpected life changes.
Mental and Emotional Strain: The emotional toll of an unplanned pregnancy, especially when considering options like abortion, can be significant. Cherish’s story illustrates the psychological impact of such decisions and the importance of compassionate care and counseling.
Resources and Information: Access to information about available resources can make a significant difference. The Luke Clinic provided Cherish with an alternative she wasn’t aware of, showing how critical it is for expectant mothers to access comprehensive information about their options.
How can you join us on a mission this summer?
Prayer
Prayer underpins everything that we do
- Babies are dying: Pray for moms to be directed to our clinic for prenatal care.
- Lack of trust: Pray for our staff and volunteers to connect and form trusting relationships with our moms.
- Lack of hope: Pray for the saving message of Jesus Christ to provide hope and healing to our moms.
- Lack of access: Pray for this campaign to increase our funds so that we can provide care for more moms. Pray specifically that we can fund the reopening of our Flint clinic this fall.
Service
Opportunities to serve for teams and individuals
- We are expanding our services and have been given a new exam room at Family of God in Detroit. We need skilled workers to repair walls, paint, remove carpet, and lay vinyl plank flooring.
- We need crafty people to make life-affirming cards for patients to store their ultrasound pictures in.
- Our childcare room could use a deep clean from top to bottom.
- We have beautiful artwork that has been donated that needs to be framed for display in the clinic.
Material Donations
Opportunities for churches or groups
- Diaper drive, baby wipes, and diaper cream—all diaper sizes are needed, especially sizes 4, 5, and 6.
- Slow-flow baby bottles, bottle brushes, health kits, pacifiers, and rattles.
- Socks, jackets, PJs, and onesies size 0 to 12 months.
- Amazon or Walmart gift cards
Financial Support
Opportunities for churches or individuals
- One-time donation
- Recurring monthly donation
- Cover the cost of pediatric care for one infant: $1000
- Cover the cost of prenatal and postnatal care for one mom: $2500
More details can be found on our website: thelukeclinic.org/donate
Listen to the related podcast here.
Or call the office at 888.422.9730
Photos courtesy of The Luke Clinic

David J. McCarty - July 15, 2024
This is a great change to what could be a much different and devastating story. My great concern about such situations is that we have a child, a mother, a grandmother involved in this story, so where is the father/husband in this equation? Sadly, if the man is not a part of this pregnancy process than these difficult circumstances continue to arise. Praise the Lord for the direction this story has taken!
Jennifer - July 16, 2024
Thank you for sharing this encouraging news!