Thursday, September 26, 2024
Amber Thurman and Candi Miller should be alive today. Their tragic deaths in Georgia, a state with a six-week abortion ban, were entirely preventable. And now, because of Texas’ own six-week ban, we are likely seeing similar stories unfold right here. These women’s stories should be a wake-up call to every Texan.
Amber, a mother of a 6-year-old boy, sought emergency care after complications from an abortion. Doctors knew how to save her, but Georgia’s restrictive abortion laws made them hesitate. By the time they acted, it was too late. Candi, another mother, faced a similar fate. Fear of prosecution under Georgia’s ban kept her from seeking the medical help she needed, and she died at home. This is the terrifying reality in Texas, too.
Since Texas passed its six-week ban, medical providers live in fear of prosecution. Stories like Amber's and Candi’s are happening here. In fact, according to the Gender Equity Policy Institute, from 2019 to 2022, maternal deaths in Texas have risen by 56%. Women are being denied care, left to suffer, and in some cases, die unnecessarily.
As the mother of a disabled daughter, I’m running to fight back against these dangerous policies for women like her. I had to go to court here in Central Texas to get the necessary medical procedure to protect my daughter’s life. She is disabled, medically fragile. A pregnancy would have killed her and these laws would have prevented me from getting the medical care to save her life. We must stop this. I have fought for my daughter on this issue, and I am ready to take that fight to Austin.
We need to act now to stop this. We must demand compassion in our laws. No woman in Texas—or anywhere else—should die because of politicians playing with their healthcare. These deaths are preventable. But change will only happen if we stand together.
We cannot wait until more lives are lost to Texas' oppressive policies. The time to act is now.
Together in this fight,
Erin Shank
Candidate for Texas House of Representatives, District 56
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