March 2022 - Care Net Peninsula

March 24, 2022September 30, 2022

Meet Carrie Cecil

Meet Our Board of Directors

Carrie Cecil

At the beginning of the year, we welcomed Carrie Cecil to our Board of Directors.

Born and raised on the Peninsula, Carrie met her husband while attending Thomas Nelson Community College. Together they have three small children, whom Carrie spends her days nurturing and schooling. They are members of Reformation Christian Fellowship in Newport News, where Carrie first heard of Care Net Peninsula through a Bottles4Life Campaign the church was hosting.

God began cultivating a passion in Carrie’s heart for moms in need during her own pregnancies where she suffered from Hyperemesis Gravidarum. It was during that time she came to understand firsthand how a pregnancy, planned or unplanned, is often accompanied by fear and suffering.

“Care Net Peninsula provides hope and help to the fearful and the suffering moms in our community and I am proud to be part of this ministry!”

We are excited to have Carrie as part of the Care Net Family and look forward to serving alongside her in the years to come and seeing how God is going to use her within the ministry. And watch out . . . she has a blackbelt in Tae Kwan Do!!

Amanda Franks, Marketing Director

March 31, 2022

2024 Year-End Update from Our Executive Director

I want to start by saying thank you. Your support this year has helped save lives. In fact, we saved more babies from abortion in 2024 than any year in our history. Every prayer, every gift, every moment you’ve stood with us —it’s all made a difference.

What Is An Options Counseling Session?

But there’s one service that seems to many of our donors as, well, mysterious. We use words like “safe space” and “lovingkindness” when we discuss our services, but what exactly is this thing we call an “Options Counseling Session?”

Save the Date for Giving Tuesday 2024

Click to read our latest ministry update and how TWO failed abortion attempts could equal life for a baby girl.

Why Early Medical Services Are Critical For Pregnant Women

When a woman is facing an unplanned pregnancy and needs to talk through her options, she typically has three choices: the abortion pill online, an abortion clinic, or Care Net Peninsula’s free medical clinic —Alcove Health.

March 7, 2022July 19, 2022

Missed Period Pills

“This concept was developed as a way to provide early abortions to women who are uncomfortable with the idea of terminating a pregnancy.”

Ever heard of “Missed Period Pills”?

It’s a new option abortion providers are researching to use the same prescription medications from a medical abortion on a woman who has not even tested to know if she is pregnant or not. That’s right, if you’ve missed your monthly period and the stress of even taking a pregnancy test is more than you can bear, you can participate in another research study that uses medical abortion drugs to manipulate your body.

This concept was developed as a way to provide early abortions to women who are uncomfortable with the idea of terminating a pregnancy.

As early as 28 days from your last period and without taking a pregnancy test, these prescription abortifacients are being touted as safe and effective. Instead of questioning why your period might be late—stress, dietary changes, sexually transmitted infection, or pregnancy- they are even offering people discounts to participate in this study. Some women experience missed periods for reasons unrelated to pregnancy and should be further evaluated for their reproductive health.

Doesn’t it make more sense to get a free pregnancy test instead of just taking a missed period pill?

At Alcove Health, we believe knowledge is power. Why expose yourself to hormone disruptive drugs without obtaining a full picture of what’s going on with your body? Your personal reproductive health history is important enough to pursue without any fear of monetary gain from an industry not looking out for your best interest.

The ethical problems this raises by exposing women to drugs that have numerous side effects and adverse health reactions are overwhelming. The medications used, Mifepristone and Misoprostol, will empty the contents of the uterus and the bleeding experienced can “bring on the missed period”. Because a pregnancy test is never performed, it is unknown which function is completed. The patient’s right to understand the implications of these medications on her body is never fully revealed to her.

At Alcove Health Women’s Clinic in Newport News, we provide a safe space for you to process your options, along with the medically accurate information you need to make an informed decision. Call us today at 757-591-8141 to schedule your free appointment.

Meg Williams, RN, BSN

March 22, 2022

I’m A Christian and Want An Abortion

February 9, 2024

You may have thought you’d never have an unplanned pregnancy. You may have thought you’d never even get in a spot where you’d consider an abortion. You may now be facing both realities.

2023 Year-End Letter from Our Executive Director

December 12, 2023

Together, we can continue to be that place of miracles and transformation for countless women and families in need. When you make a year-end gift to Care Net Peninsula, you are providing the help and hope that women need to choose life for their baby.

Critical Year-End Ministry Update

December 5, 2022

Tragically, 15 children in Virginia died from Covid-19. But since March 2020, 300 times that number of babies died from abortion . . . on the Peninsula. That’s over 4,000 preborn lives taken from our community in less than 3 years. But it would have been more.

Does He Really Matter In The Pregnancy Decision?

September 14, 2022

His thoughts matter to her and play into her final decision about what she will do with the pregnancy. And while women may make voting decisions based on collective persuasion, they make pregnancy decisions usually in pairs.

March 5, 2022March 31, 2022

Meet Teresa Chalsma

Meet Our Board of Directors

Teresa Chalsma

At the end of 2021, we welcomed long-time Care Net Family member, Teresa Chalsma, onto our Board of Directors.

Teresa, alongside her husband Brian, has been a faithful supporter of the ministry since 2010. During that time, she has worn many hats in our ministry, and we have loved serving alongside her.

As a Client Intake Volunteer (CIV), Teresa was able to see first-hand the work being done in our clinic each week. She played a vital role in aiding our clinic team during her shift and ensured clients were provided a warm and welcoming atmosphere.

Her ability to connect with others and passion to share about the mission and work of our ministry made Teresa the first choice when setting up our Executive Leadership Team for our Peninsula4Life Dinners. In 2020 she took up the charge to chair the team and assisted us in navigating a fundraising dinner through a global pandemic.

Aside from being “boots on the ground” within the ministry, Teresa, along with her partners at The Roofing Company, generously sponsor our events each year to help ensure all funds raised go directly back into our clinic.

“I started volunteering and supporting Care Net Peninsula because I felt it was a positive way to serve moms and save babies. I love that all the services are free to women. The staff at the clinic is phenomenal!”

Teresa holds a bachelor’s degree from Radford University in business and marketing – we look forward to seeing how God can use her skills and knowledge in those areas in the years to come.

In her free time, Teresa enjoys being with her family. She has been married to her husband Brian for 31 years, and together they share 3 daughters. Teresa and Brian enjoy traveling in their RV, including a yearly trip with their entire family. The Chalsma family are members of Lifehouse Church and spend their time supporting not only local missions like Care Net, but they love to help spread the Gospel through mission trips abroad.

We know this new season and new role within Care Net for Teresa will continue to bless our moms and babies and help to spread the message of help and hope to so many women across the community who need it.

Teresa Chalsma and Family