Zoey Thought She Was Scheduling an Abortion

Zoey Thought She Was Scheduling An Abortion

When Zoey reached out to our clinic, Alcove Health, she believed she was scheduling an appointment at an abortion clinic. She was young, overwhelmed, and facing a decision she never imagined having to make.

“When I found out I was pregnant, I was 19, living very worldly. I felt sad, emotional, and all alone. I came to Alcove thinking it was an abortion clinic.”

From the moment she walked through the doors, her experience began to shift.

“While there, Jenn immediately comforted me. She listened to my story. The nurses, Denise and Kinta, were comforting and made me feel very welcomed.”

What Zoey found was not pressure or judgment, but help, hope, and space to breathe.

“Alcove really changed my perspective on my pregnancy and my life. I went when I was 3 weeks ready to terminate my pregnancy, and now I’m 7 months preparing to give birth in 12 more weeks”.

“Everything happens for a reason. God knew what he was doing when he brought me to Alcove, and now I’m expecting a baby boy.”

Today, her gratitude turns outward, toward the mission and the lives still waiting to be reached.

“Keep changing lives and saving little innocent babies like mine.”

That is exactly what we intend to keep doing!

Zoey’s story is a powerful reminder that when compassion meets crisis, both the mother’s and the child’s lives are forever changed.

Would you consider making a year-end gift today to join us in 2026 as we continue to serve moms and save babies across our community?

Your generosity helps ensure women like Zoey are never alone. Thank YOU for standing for life!

Friday, December 26, 2025

The Abortion Pill Isn’t a Decision. It’s a Default.

The abortion pill isn’t a decision.
It’s a default.

It’s marketed as a personal choice—fast, discreet, handled alone.
No clinic. No conversation. No one asking how she’s really doing.

When a woman fears she might be pregnant, her phone quickly fills with abortion pill ads promising a solution that feels simple and private. Within hours, pills can be ordered and shipped to her door.

Unless someone steps in first.

Recently, a young woman, let’s call her Emily, found herself in that moment. She was scared, overwhelmed, and convinced abortion was her only option. She had already begun searching online when she saw an ad for our clinic, Alcove Health, and decided to call.

That call changed everything.

Instead of isolation, Emily found personal care.

Candra answered the phone with gentleness and helped her schedule an appointment right away. When Emily arrived, Jenn sat with her, listened without judgment, and gave her space to breathe.

And in the ultrasound room, Kinta showed Emily the truth, the life growing in her womb. In that quiet moment, it became real. And Emily wasn’t alone.

Today, she is continuing her pregnancy and is connected to ongoing support because a compassionate team met her in those critical hours, before a default decision was made.

At Care Net Peninsula, we fight the clock because hours matter. Your year-end gift helps ensure we answer the phone, offer same-day care, and walk with women when fear is loudest.

Your gift breaks the timeline.

This year-end, will you give generously so more women like Emily receive time, truth, help, and hope, rooted in relationship, not isolation?

Friday, December 19, 2025

Your Year-End Gift Can Break the Timeline

The abortion pill isn’t a decision. It’s a default.

The moment a woman fears she’s pregnant, her phone becomes her counselor: “Abortion pill. Cheap. Fast. No clinic needed.” Within hours, pills can be shipped.

Unless someone steps in first.

At Care Net Peninsula, we fight the clock. Because when you’re saving a life, hours matter. Your year-end gift ensures we’re there to answer her call.

Let me show you her timeline the way she lived it.

HOUR 1 – SHOCK

I don’t feel right. Nausea. Anxiety. A knot in my stomach. I keep putting off taking the test because if I don’t know, maybe it isn’t real.

But finally, I look. Two lines. My heart drops. My worst fear is real. I have to be about 9 weeks pregnant.

HOUR 2 – PANIC SEARCH

I grab my phone and start Googling. Before I can even finish typing, ads like this flood my screen. It doesn’t feel like choices, it feels like pressure.

THANKS TO YOU, WE INVEST HEAVILY IN GOOGLE ADS TO FIGHT FOR LIFE ONLINE.

HOUR 3 – A PRICE ON LIFE

I click on a website. I expect the cost to stop me. Instead, I see something shocking: it’s cheaper than I thought, as low as $150 and if I can’t afford it, they’ll “help me pay for it.”

HOUR 4 – NO HUMAN REQUIRED

I start a form. No doctor. No counselor. Not even a voice on the phone. Just answer some questions … and the pills are on their way.

YOUR YEAR-END GIFT BREAKS THE TIMELINE!

HOUR 24 – DELIVERED

The next day, a package shows up on my doorstep. Plain. Unmarked. No questions asked.

HOUR 25 – FIRST PILL

I open the package. I swallow the first pill — Mifepristone. It blocks the hormone that sustains my baby’s life.

There’s no turning back*.

*EXCEPT YOU CAN! LEARN MORE ABOUT THE ABORTION PILL REVERSAL PROGRAM HERE.

HOUR 48 – SECOND PILL

28-48 hours later, I take the second pill — Misoprostol. It’s actually 2 to 4 pills that dissolve in my mouth. I repeat this process two more times over the next 6 hours. 

HOUR 49+ – ALONE IN THE AFTERMATH

The cramping intensifies. The bleeding becomes heavy, sometimes severe. I’m passing the remains of my baby … by myself. 

What they don’t tell you is that for many women, the pain and bleeding become so intense that they end up in the ER. Research shows roughly 1 in 10 abortion pill patients require emergency care. That could be mine.

This timeline is devastating. A woman goes from fear to an abortion pill in hours: alone, scared, and pressured by the world to make the panic go away. But that is not where her story has to end. Your generosity breaks into her timeline. It gives her something the abortion industry never will: time, truth, and someone who sees her. When you give, you help her reach us first. You help us answer the phone on the first ring. You help us offer same-day and next-day appointments. You make space for hope, before pills arrive at her door.

This year-end, would you make your most generous gift so we can be there in those critical hours? You can make your gift at the button below. Your gift breaks the timeline. Your gift saves a life!

Monday, December 15, 2025

Are “Missed Period Pills” Abortion? Here’s the Truth.

Missed Period Pills - Care Net Peninsula Newport News, VA
Missed Period Pills - Care Net Peninsula Newport News, VA

Are "Missed Period Pills" Abortion?

In recent years, the abortion industry has been shifting its messaging and it’s no accident. This strategy, known as demedicalization, aims to make abortion seem simpler, safer, and more casual than it truly is.

By downplaying the seriousness of what’s happening inside a woman’s body, abortion providers hope to normalize abortion as “no big deal.” You’ll hear phrases like:

  • “The abortion pill is completely safe.”
  • “Women have been taking it for decades.”

But what’s missing from that messaging? The truth.

What are Missed Period Pills?

An example of this tactic in use is the “Missed Period Pills” or “Period Pills”.

These use the same prescription medications as a medical abortion (mifepristone and misoprostol). The drugs empty the contents of the uterus, and the resulting bleeding is described as “bringing on your period.”

What makes the period pills different, and deeply concerning, is that women don’t have to test to know if they are even pregnant or not. That’s right – if you’ve missed your monthly period and the stress of taking a pregnancy test is more than you can bear, you can take abortion-inducing drugs to “reset your cycle.”

This is not simply “managing your period”; it is potentially ending a life.

The Ethical and Emotional Cost

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

Emotionally and spiritually, this language numbs women to the reality that there may already be a precious life growing inside them. By calling it “just a missed period,” abortion providers remove the humanity of both the woman and her baby.

There are no pregnancy tests. No ultrasounds. No confirmation.

Here’s what the missed period pills website says about risk of overuse in people who aren’t pregnant:

Women can take these pills as early as 28 days from their last period without a pregnancy test. Some women may experience missed periods for reasons unrelated to pregnancy, yet instead of helping women ask “why?” their period might be late (stress, diet, hormones, illness, or pregnancy), these period pill providers promote ignorance and fear.

This is financially deceptive. These pills could potentially cost over $150. That’s money spent on drugs that would not “end” anything if the woman wasn’t pregnant in the first place.

That’s not care. That’s exploitation.

Legally, period pills fall into a gray area. Whatever legal implications that come with obtaining these pills, the woman is liable for them.

The Patient’s Rights

Because a pregnancy test is never performed, we never know what these pills do. Did they end a pregnancy? Or was there never any pregnancy to begin with?

The patient’s right to understand the implications, risks, and side effects are never fully revealed to her.

It’s not care. It’s confusion.

This approach removes basic medical safeguards and denies women the truth about what’s happening in their bodies.

  • Without a pregnancy test she can’t know if she is pregnant.
  • Without an ultrasound, she won’t know if the pregnancy is in her uterus. If her pregnancy is outside of the uterus, an ectopic pregnancy, that is considered a medical emergency. She also can’t know how far along she is, which makes a difference in the effectiveness of the drugs.

Additionally, there is risk of severe complications or an incomplete abortion, and she’s told it’s “just a heavy period.” 

How irresponsible that her safety is hardly considered at all?

So where is the hope?

It’s here. This is information we want ALL women to have. Our clinic provides women with free pregnancy confirmation, free ultrasounds, and free options counseling. They need a safe space to process their options, get medically accurate information, and see the truth and life inside them.

We do not profit from her decision. Because she matters. Her baby matters. Life matters.

Women deserve honesty. Not hidden agendas or rebranded abortion pills. At Care Net Peninsula, we believe every woman is made in the image of God, and her life, and the life within her, are precious. Help us continue our work of serving moms and saving babies by making a gift, volunteering, or donating.

Kinta, RN, BSN, Nurse Manager

Wednesday, November 5, 2025

Protect What You’ve Built – Serve Moms. Save Babies.

Be Proud of What You Built

For almost 40 years, women facing their darkest days—pregnant, afraid, and alone—have found you waiting for them through the ministry of Care Net Peninsula and our free women’s clinic, Alcove Health.

This ministry didn’t happen by accident.

It took sacrifice, commitment, and faithfulness.

And you were faithful.

You stood in the gap, creating a space that rescues both mama and baby. Time and time again, you provided the help and hope she needed to choose life for her baby.

In the five years since COVID, our clinic has doubled the number of clients we serve each year and tripled the number of abortion-minded women we reach. And because of your faithfulness, more than half of the abortion-minded women we served last year chose life for their babies.

This is exactly why you are part of the Care Net Peninsula family. Babies, children, and adults are alive today because of the ministry you’ve built.

Like baby Joey, born this past February. His mom came to our clinic to find out how war along she was, with the intention of aborting him, but in her own words, she “came out choosing life.”

There you are, right in the middle of her and Joey’s story. Because of you, this didn’t become an abortion story—it’s Joey’s story.

His living story

Just before her due date, Joey’s mom wrote to share how much she would’ve missed had she chosen abortion, she and Joey have the life they were meant to share.

a new threat to life in virginia

As we look ahead, we’re not going to be distracted. We’re staying laser-focused on babies just like Joey, but we have to share about a real threat we see coming to the ministry.

Right now, our General Assembly is in the process to amend our state constitution with a “right to abortion”.

This is a threat to future generations of Virginians: babies, girls, and women. And it’s also a threat to the ministry you’ve invested in all these years.

Care Net Peninsula could land in the crosshairs if this amendment passes: our very mission could be considered unconstitutional right here in Virginia.

Multiple states have made the “right to abortion” a fundamental right; we need only look at them to see the implications for us if this amendment passes.

  • Massachusetts: The state actively campaigns against pro-life pregnancy centers by targeting the language they can use with patients.
  • New Jersey and Washington State: Unfounded investigations are robbing pro-life pregnancy centers of valuable resources and time by requiring years of records without any proof of wrongdoing.
  • New York and California: Pro-life pregnancy centers are being sued for talking about the Abortion Pill Reversal Process (a process that has saved over 6,000 lives to date, some right here in our area).
  • Illinois: State law is forcing pro-life pregnancy centers to promote abortion, even requiring them to refer for abortion.

If this amendment passes, Virginia won’t be safe from this type of overregulation.

we need you now more than ever!

You’ve risen to the occasion every time we’ve asked. We needed diapers, you sent us diapers. We needed more staff, you funded new staff positions. When our space limited who we could serve, you gave us a building.

You have faithfully built the ministry of Care Net Peninsula through giving, your time, and your prayers. You’ve loved women, babies, and families well. You’ve loved us, the staff, too.

But what we need from you now is to vote.

On November 4th, Virginia voters will choose the delegates who decide if the “right to abortion”. amendment moves forward. We’re asking you to stand for life at the ballot box.

We pray one day, you’ll look back knowing your investment in Care Net Peninsula has mattered, for thousands of babies, like Joey. But future lives will be threatened or protected by the choices we make today.

Let the lives you’ve already saved—your living legacy—inspire your vote and your continued stand for generations yet to live.

YOUR GIVING MATTERS,

YOUR GIVING SUSTAINS THE MISSION.

Click below to find out more information on the proposed Abortion Amendment or to make a gift.

Tuesday, October 28, 2025

Action Needed: Protect Life in VA

Action Needed:
PROTECT LIFE IN VA

I’m writing you today because, as the Executive Director of Care Net Peninsula, I feel a deep responsibility to protect the mission you faithfully support.

For years, our work has quietly and effectively saved lives. We’ve focused on the woman and baby in front of us, not politics. But today, I must step outside my comfort zone, and maybe yours too, to warn you about a threat that puts everything we do at risk.

THE PROBLEM:

There is a proposed amendment to the Virginia Constitution that would enshrine “reproductive freedom” as a fundamental right—including abortion through all nine months of pregnancy. If this amendment passes, pregnancy centers like ours could be seen as “infringing, burdening, or denying” these rights simply because we don’t offer abortions. Legal experts believe this could open the door to devastating lawsuits or new regulations that would make it nearly impossible for us to continue serving the women who need us most.

Let Me Be Clear:This is not politics as usual. This is a direct threat to our ability to exist.

WHY NOW?

The amendment has already passed once through the General Assembly and will be voted on a second time in January 2026. If the House of Delegates election on November 4 results in a pro-abortion majority once again, the amendment will pass in January and be voted on as a ballot initiative in November 2026. It would take a miracle from God not to pass—current polling is 61-39 in favor of the amendment.

Let Me Be Clear: This can be stopped. The political reality is this. The House of Delegates is currently 51-49 pro-abortion. If that flips this November to 51-49 Pro-Life, this threat is gone.

OUR POSITION?

At Care Net Peninsula, we’ve never made political endorsements. And we still won’t. But we must speak up about this amendment because it’s about more than politics—it’s about our mission and the lives of thousands of unborn children.

My job isn’t to tell people who to vote for, but it is my job to tell the truth. And the truth is, the only realistic path to stopping this abortion amendment is to elect Pro-Life candidates to the House of Delegates on November 4th.

WHAT CAN YOU DO

WHY IT MATTERS:

Imagine a future where our center is shut down. Not because we did something wrong, but because we “infringed” on a “right” to abortion. Imagine a Virginia where no voice is left to offer women real choice. This isn’t hyperbole. Pregnancy Centers in seven states are being sued as we speak.

Now Imagine the OppositeA future where life is protected. Where centers like ours thrive, and where the next generation of children live because you stood up and said, “Not on our watch”.

Now Imagine the Opposite: A future where life is protected. Where centers like ours thrive, and where the next generation of children live because you stood up and said, “Not on our watch!”

This is our moment. Not to turn political, but to be faithful.

Ryan Holloway, Executive Director

September 26, 2025

No Longer Silent: A Father’s Story of Loss & Redemption

NO LONGER SILENT:

A Father's Story of Loss, Redemption, & Forgiveness

I always tried to make myself the easygoing guy, anyone could talk to, always smiling and capable of blending into the different groups around me. I wanted connection — friends, a girlfriend, people to see the “me” I didn’t think anyone did. Three high schools later, she finally saw me. I continued on in the relationship despite signs to turn around. We were together for two years. Finally out of high school and free to start our lives. Young and trying to figure life out, we talked about marriage and quickly moved in together. We were playing house.

Two months into trade school, I got a text:
“I’m late. I might be pregnant.”

On my way home, I stopped and picked up a box of pregnancy tests and waited at home in a hurricane of emotion. I’d always wanted to be a dad, even if I had no idea how to be one.

THE TEST WAS POSITIVE . . .

We started calling and driving around, looking for a clinic to get a blood test to confirm the pregnancy. But an actual hurricane was coming through town, and everything was closed. We sat in my car, searching and calling for clinics, when she looked up and said, “I have an appointment for next week.” I asked, “For the test?”  She replied, “No. For an abortion.”

I WAS DEVASTATED.

We hadn’t talked about it. We hadn’t processed it, and suddenly it was decided.

I fell silent for a few minutes. I didn’t know what even to say. The only road forward I knew was: “Her body, her choice.” I thought being a good man meant supporting her decision. So, I kept quiet and took care of her. The following week I called out of work to take her to the appointment. But the next day, I had to go back to work as if nothing happened.

I felt my heart being ripped out of my chest, but I numbed it with justification that I wasn’t ready to be a dad.

Looking back now, I know I sinned, not by ending the life of our child with my own hands but by listening to the world’s wisdom and failing to protect that life. I didn’t speak up, I didn’t lead, I didn’t stand between my child and death. That haunts me.

We named him Michael. I say “him” even though we’ll never know for sure. I just know it in my heart. He would’ve been four years old this year.

For a long time, we didn’t talk about it. My girlfriend and I stayed together for two more years, but we never processed the loss. Birthdays became quiet reminders of what could have been. Eventually, we broke up. I moved back to Virginia. And God began breaking through my hardened heart.

One day I hit a stop sign — literally. I was driving, carefree, and ran into a stop sign. It sounds small, but God works through anything. For the first time, I faced my mortality. I started asking questions. What about Michael? Where is he? Would I see him again? And then the deepest realization hit me: I wasn’t on the path where I would see him again. If he were in heaven, I wouldn’t be.

God used that realization to begin drawing me to Himself. Through conversations with believers, reading the Bible, and wrestling with the truth, I began to see, really see, my need for a Savior. Desiring to share the news of my faith, I got baptized in November of 2022. That baptism wasn’t the finish line. It was the starting point of a new life in Christ.

Healing hasn’t been easy. But the church and my family have been lifelines. God corrected my relationship with my parents and gave me a community that helps bear this burden with me. He gave me brothers and sisters in Christ who don’t minimize the pain but point me toward hope and purpose. My story doesn’t end with regret. It concludes with redemption.

My ex-girlfriend, now a believer herself, reached out to ask for forgiveness. That conversation brought a kind of closure I didn’t know I needed. She was holding her newborn baby when we spoke. And as much as it hurt to hear, I felt nothing but joy that God had given her another chance at motherhood.

So why share this story now? Because there are too many men like me: quiet, confused, and sidelined. We have stopped using our voices because we’re told we don’t have one in this space. But that has to change. Our silence comes at a cost. If this story helps even one man find Jesus, find his voice, or find healing, then it’s worth telling.

I want to live my life in a way that honors God. I want to serve, speak out, and stand firm, not because I’m strong, but because Christ is. Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may know what is the will of God, what is good, acceptable and perfect.” That’s what God did for me. He renewed my mind, restored my soul, and gave me a mission.

This is for Michael. This is for the men still searching. This is for the God who forgives and redeems.

At Care Net Peninsula, we're not just here for Moms and Babies — we're here for Dads like Christian, too!

At Care Net Peninsula, we believe that reaching fathers is critical to achieving a lasting impact in the lives of our clients and their babies.

That’s why we launched a Men’s Ministry Program. For more information and to find ways to get involved, click here.

Christian Morales, CNP Supporter

Friday, September 12, 2025

Meet Our 2025 Keynote Speaker, Dr. Bill Lile, The Prolife Doc

Meet Dr. Bill Lile

Care Net Peninsula's 2025 Peninsula4Life Dinner Keynote Speaker

Dr. William Lile, known nationwide as “The ProLife Doc,” is a board-certified OB/GYN, former department chair, and founder of the ProLife Doc ministry. In 1999, he took over Pensacola’s largest abortion provider, and on day one, ended all abortion services and referrals. Since then, he’s been on a mission to educate and inspire, using his medical expertise and biblical convictions to defend the lives of the unborn.

Dr. Lile specializes in diagnosing and treating complex conditions before birth. From performing fetal heart surgeries to administering blood transfusions to unborn babies, his work presents a powerful and undeniable truth that these unborn children are patients who deserve the same rights and protections as anyone else

Through powerful visuals, real medical knowledge, and unapologetic biblical truth, Dr. Lile speaks across the country at churches, schools, and pregnancy resource centers, equipping others to stand boldly for life. He’s also the creator of the ProLife Doc Curriculum—an 8-module educational series that features stunning medical animations, expert commentary, and interactive workbook content.

Dr. Lile’s message is clear, hopeful, and deeply compelling: a patient is a person, no matter how small—and every life is made in the image of God.

Learn more about Dr. Lile at https://www.prolifedoc.org

Friday, July 25, 2025

Local Physician, Libby Palumbo, DO Named Chairperson for Peninsula4Life Benefit Dinner

Local Physician, Libby Palumbo, DO Named Chairperson for Peninsula4Life Benefit Dinner

Local physician Libby Palumbo, DO will serve as chairperson at this year’s annual Peninsula4Life Benefit Dinner, taking place on October 17th at the Hampton Roads Convention Center.

This October 17th, over 900 guests will gather at the Hampton Roads Convention Center in Hampton, Virginia for the 39th annual Peninsula4Life Dinner benefitting Alcove Health, the Peninsula’s only no-cost women’s pregnancy health center. This annual event brings together local businesses, churches, and individuals to raise awareness and funds for the pregnancy clinic’s medical services and resources.

“I am honored to chair this year’s Peninsula4Life dinner to support Alcove Health and further their mission of supporting women with unplanned pregnancies and empowering them to choose life for their unborn children.

Upon becoming a physician, I recited the Hippocratic Oath, pledging to uphold ethical standards in my practice, including not to harm or give a lethal drug to anyone, even if asked, nor to advise such a plan. I am proud to partner with this organization and protect the most vulnerable patient, the unborn child. “

The evening’s keynote address will be delivered by Focus on the Family Partner and renowned physician Dr. Bill Lile, who will share insights on cutting-edge medical advancements used to treat complex conditions in the womb. To learn more about attending the dinner or to make an online donation, please visit peninsula4life.org.

About Care Net Peninsula
Care Net Peninsula, founded in 1986 as Peninsula Crisis Pregnancy Center, is a 501(c)3 nonprofit that provides no-costs services to women experiencing unplanned pregnancy. Care Net Peninsula operates a medical clinic in Newport News offering options counseling, ultrasounds, parenting support and more.

Monday, July 7, 2025

Michelle’s Story

Michelle's Story

In her Own Words

“I was surprised when I found out that I was pregnant. I had two previous high-risk pregnancies that ended in loss, and was told I wouldn’t be able to have children. I was career-focused; I had a job working with the city and I wasn’t ready or expecting to have a child at the age of 30.

I felt a bit overwhelmed because I would be a first-time mom. I was an orphan myself without family support, so I wasn’t sure I could perform my best or know what to do to provide for my baby.

I experienced top-tier services at Alcove Health, free healthcare services, and tons of resources, including baby supplies and free maternity classes, which helped a lot. They provided me with postpartum and anxiety support through resources and someone to communicate with, without judgement.

Alcove Health has changed my life and helped me become a confident mom. They are the village that every mother needs.

Pictures from Michelle’s Photo Session:

Photos By: Amanda Franks, Marketing Director

April 28, 2025