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Joy from Pain

Joy from Pain

When I was a little girl, age 5, my mother had an abortion. There were medical reasons, but the effects of that decision were life-long for her and for my father as well as for myself and likely my other siblings. That moment stopped time for me, and what my parents thought would be the best answer for their situation ended up being a destructive decision that immediately brought remorse for the loss of a child who would’ve been my little brother.

Many struggles came from that painful decision. Most importantly, God used this terrible decision to help my mother make sure I understood that she was carrying a BABY that was taken from the world too soon and that that would never be an option again.

Fast forward 15 years, and my boyfriend and I discovered we were pregnant. We both loved the Lord but were in a promiscuous relationship together and those choices resulted in a pregnancy. There was no doubt that we were keeping our child even though some people pressured us to seek an abortion. We prayed that God would use our daughter to love others well and give us opportunities to share the Gospel with our story.

We have never regretted our decision, and 28 years later we have four children who love Jesus. We know and believe that God worked despite our sin through our repentance for our good and His glory. He is faithful in every situation. The daughter we chose to keep has made us grandparents twice over now, and we are so blessed.

Submitted Anonymously

January 14, 2022

The Care Net Peninsula Family is built up of so many amazing individuals. You encourage us with the ways you fight abortion in our community and work to provide help and hope to local women so they choose life for their babies. You each have a unique story of how God brought you to this moment to take up this charge and we would love to hear it. 

If you would like to share your story with the Care Net Family send an email to amanda@cnpeninsula.org

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2021 Fall Newsletter

Fall 2021 Newsletter

As a physician, I am constantly asking the question, “WHY?” Why does this patient have pelvic pain? Why is this baby growing smaller in the womb than it should be? Why has this cancer developed?

I also like to evaluate my personal motivations with this same “WHY?” question. As an OB/GYN, why am I pro-life? In the midst of a busy medical practice and raising a family, why do I serve as the volunteer medical director after a 24-hour shift of delivering babies? When so many OB/GYNs in my field consider abortions to be no more than removing unwanted “products of conception,” why is my heart so grieved when I hear about these procedures?

    • God has given me a calling to help bring LIFE into the world. Life starts in the womb, and I believe in the sanctity and personhood of life along all parts of the journey.

    • I have seen the “products of conception” on the ultrasound screen return as a healthy baby in the arms of grateful parents (biological and adopted) to be loved and nurtured to full maturity.

    • I have seen the tears of women who have made decisions based in fear that cannot be undone . . . memories that can haunt them for years.

    • I see the true love and concern in the tone, facial expressions, and actions of the Care Net staff as they spend quality time caring for the clients in front of them, treating each one as an individual.

    • I love hearing the testimonies of redemption as we see children born into situations the world would deem hopeless, but our God redeems and restores.

    • I know that Care Net provides exceptional medical, spiritual, emotional, and truly holistic care to women, that is lacking in many medical settings due to time constraints and other factors.

    • I know that clients are being given the opportunity to receive accurate and complete information about their pregnancy without fear of coercion or cost.

    • I personally review every single ultrasound image and I know that the medical team are highly trained experts in Nursing and in Ultrasonography.

    • I know that clients receive medical screenings, pregnancy tests, prenatal vitamins, medical and spiritual counseling, community support referrals, and follow-up care instructions to optimize their health.

    • I know the ministry is backed by believers and churches who stand ready, willing, and equipped to mentor and support these new parents to care for their children.

I passionately support Care Net, as I know that innumerable lives have been saved by the decisions women made through receiving accurate and complete information about their pregnancy. Why? Because just as the ultrasound brings light into a dark womb, so we reflect the light of Christ into a dark world to bring spiritual and physical life, one soul at a time.

Digital Newsletter

Dr. Lunsford, Medical Director

November 15, 2021

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A Debut 30 Years In The Making

30 Years In The Making

A Debut 30 Years In The Making

It has been a year of growth for our ministry; we’re seeing a rise in appointment requests and an increase in abortion-minded women. We have had to grow our team to meet these new demands, and we would like to introduce you to our newest team member, Sylvia Pottle. 

We welcomed Sylvia in June when she came on board as a Client Advocate. She immediately started training and started this fall off able to counsel women on her own. It’s not an easy task, and our advocates and nurses are prepped to handle any situation they may find themselves in. We are all proud of Sylvia for what she has accomplished. 

Our team is made up of women, who like our clients, all have their own unique stories.  

Sylvia joined our team after years in the marketing world – she holds a Bachelor’s in Business with a minor in Marketing, and a Master’s in Education with a concentration in adult learning and training.  

God used a specific moment in her life to place a desire in her heart to protect the unborn and to serve women in need. That moment came 30 years ago when she found herself as a teenager sitting in a Crisis Pregnancy Center expecting her first child. Since then, Sylvia has devoted time and resources to serving local centers. Her heart is to support the women and babies that come through Crisis Pregnancy Centers, including ours.  

Sylvia and her husband John reside in Williamsburg and attend Christ Fellowship Church. Together they share three adult children and children-in-law and five grandbabies … with a sixth due very soon! When Sylvia is not at work or with her family, you can surely find her gardening, reading, or hiking.  

We are grateful that thirty years after that first visit to a pregnancy center, Sylvia has found herself yet again in one – but this time ministering to young moms like her looking for someone to listen and be there for them. She has blessed so many already and we continue to pray for her time with each and every one of the women she meets. 

Amanda Franks, Marketing Director

October 14, 2021

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¡Conoce a Karla!

¡Conoce a Karla!

As the needs of the women in our community continue to grow, we must do the same. One area where that growth takes place is in our clinic team. We’re excited to finally introduce you to our newest nurse, Karla Laskowski, RN, BSN.  

Karla has been part of our team for a little over six months now, joining us as a volunteer nurse and Spanish translator, a combo we didn’t have in our clinic and one that brought great comfort to our Spanish-speaking clients. We knew immediately we needed her on our team in a more permanent role, and the feeling was mutual.  

Our nurses each bring unique skills and knowledge to our team, and Karla is no different. Her passion for helping others, mixed with military life, has allowed her to care for many across different areas of medicine. She has trained in Audiology, Communicable Diseases, has worked in areas such as Telemetry, Dialysis, Medical Surgery, Home Health, Hospice, Case Manager, Public Health, Home Health Clinics, and as a charge nurse for an Urgent Care/ED.  

We’re proud to say she just finished her extensive training in Limited Diagnostic Imaging for Obstetrics Patients in Oregon and is one step closer to seeing clients on her own. Next up, she will be working alongside our Nurse Managers and Medical Director to finish some in-house training.  

God started preparing Karla for this role early on. She was born and raised in Costa Rica, alongside her quad siblings (yes, she is a quadruplet!!) and her two younger sisters. They were raised by a single mother whom Karla credits as being one of the strongest, fiercest, and most loving people she knows. Her mother’s faith and love for God were her family’s anchors through life’s struggles growing up. We see those same qualities in Karla every day, in and outside of the ultrasound room. 

While living in Honduras, Karla volunteered as a nurse translator and a new mom’s education facilitator at a local medical clinic for the uninsured. She has served as a nurse translator for two mission teams in Nicaragua.  

Karla and her husband have been married for almost twenty years now, and together they have one child. The military brought them to the Peninsula where they have settled in and found a faith community at Manna Church. Karla loves to spend her free time with her family and friends, exploring campgrounds in their new RV, or hunting for deals at local thrift stores, antique stores, and flea markets.

I asked Karla what drew her to Care Net and her response was: “The Care Net family’s strong love for unborn babies, their moms, and families. Their kingdom focus and strong faith to reach and love new moms in our communities.” 

We’re thankful for the people God keeps bringing to us and love seeing how he uses each of their gifts to protect the unborn and to care for their families. 

Amanda Franks, Marketing Director

August 3, 2021

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Meet Karen

Meet Karen

We have been holding on to this gem for a bit now – please give a big welcome to one of our newest Client Advocates, Karen Reynolds.

Karen joined our team early this Spring and jumped right into training and is now ready to see abortion-minded clients. One of the unique gifts that Karen brings to our ministry is that she previously worked as a Survivor Advocate and Case Manager for Transitions Family Violence Services Emergency Housing Program, so she is used to meeting women during some of the most difficult seasons in their lives and ministering to them through it.

In fact, Karen has a long history of ministry work, serving as a Food Bank Administrator and Operator, as well as an Outreach Coordinator for local churches. She holds degrees in Human Services, Business Administration, and Early Childhood Development from Saint Leo University and Thomas Nelson Community College, skills and knowledge that will be put to good use in this ministry. 

Karen has been married to her husband for over 27 years, and together they lived the Navy life for 20 years before settling down in Virginia. She is the proud Mom of 3 sons, 1 daughter, and 1 daughter in love, and is a member of Hope Church in Newport News.

We’re so grateful to have Karen on our team and are looking forward to the many ways God will use her in our ministry.

Amanda Franks, Marketing Director

June 8, 2021

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Why I Became a Nurse

Why I Became A Nurse

“I love that God uses our personal history to shape us in our careers”

I was 16 years old when I received a call from my mom—I was across town at a friend’s house for the day. It was a very hot Florida day in August 1984, and my Dad, 44 years old, had been out cutting the grass. He was feeling winded and diaphoretic, so he stopped for some cold water and a cigarette. That didn’t work. It quickly escalated to intense chest pain and panic—my mother insisted he lay down in the back seat of the station wagon while she drove at high speed to the local Air Force Hospital. They confirmed quickly that he was having a massive heart attack. That day changed the Lester family.
It changed the way we ate, it changed my parent’s personal habits; it changed the way we interacted; it changed my future.

My father had a couple of years of serious medical problems; I was often the one who helped care for him. My mother had recently returned to work outside the home, my oldest brother had just left for college, and I rose to the opportunity. In fact, I loved it. I didn’t mind cleaning up after bathroom messes or dirty bandages, delivered medications on time, became the walking / Physical therapy partner, and all-around encourager. Our family starting eating heart-healthy meals together, my mom and dad quit smoking after 40 years, we all began an exercise regimen, and we practiced more graciousness towards one another. We were thankful for a new beginning towards a healthier lifestyle. Two years later, I followed my brother to the state university to begin my studies in Nursing.

I love everything about Nursing. I love the science & wonder of how the body works; I love learning & teaching the interactions of medications with disease processes and healthy lifestyles; I love the hope that arises when healing takes place and the joy found in new life and fresh starts. It is a privilege to be trusted by people in their most vulnerable states, to advocate for their best interest, and to share personal moments that change lives. I love that God uses our personal history to shape us in our careers, and offers unique opportunities for us to comfort others with the same comfort we have received from Him.

Meg Williams, RN, BSN

May 6, 2020

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Have You Met Maggie?

Have You Met Maggie?

Hey Friends, meet Maggie McNeely! She is a face you will get very acquainted with and we are THRILLED to finally introduce you to her if you haven’t had the chance to meet her yet.

Maggie has been a long time friend of the ministry and a little over a year ago started volunteering as a Client Intake Volunteer. While serving in the clinic she noticed God was at work in her heart and put a desire there to want to do more and minister to the women and families on the Peninsula. So, when the Community Relations Manager position opened up in December she knew that was a HUGE answer to her prayer about what was next.

Since graduating from Christopher Newport University in 2013, Maggie has worked in campus ministry with Cru for the last 6 years, and even though her time with them has come to an end, she is still looking forward to being able to mentor to student women while developing and nourishing new relationships with Care Net friends in the community. If you’re looking for her in her free time, you can catch her taking long walks to the river with her pup, Willow, and playing guitar and volleyball every chance she gets. (We haven’t figured out if she can do both at the same time).

We know she is just as excited as we are to have her join our family and she is eager to get out there and meet you and bring our community together to help serve moms and save babies.

Amanda Franks, Marketing Director

February 6, 2020

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Welcome Back, Sheri!

Welcome Back, Sheri!

Meet our new(ish) Client Advocate, Sheri Coker!

We first met Sheri back in 2015 when she began volunteering with us doing client intake. She was later trained as a Client Advocate. In 2017 Sheri began volunteering at a local safe house for traffick victims where she led Bible studies and helped women with financial literacy. Aside from her volunteer work, she has spent most of the past twenty years homeschooling her three daughters.

Prior to raising her girls and ministering to women, Sheri was employed as a financial analyst. She has been married to John for 26 years. They enjoy a weekly movie and ice cream date night and the occasional 5K to 10K race. Sheri is excited to be engaged in Kingdom work and the daily opportunities to see the love and compassion of Christ extended to women in need.

We’re excited to have Sheri here daily and can’t wait to see how God uses her in our ministry. Please be in prayer for her as she serves the moms who come to our clinic.

Amanda Franks, Marketing Director

January 30, 2020

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In Memory of Dr. Hellman

In Memory Of Dr. Hellman

Dr. Barry Hellman went home to be with the Lord on Saturday, December 28th. He left a legacy of kindness and generosity with his family, colleagues and the local community. Barry served on the board of Care Net Peninsula since 2017 and began his term as the Board Chair in April 2019. Barry was passionate and dedicated to the work of Care Net to provide the help and hope local moms need to choose life for their babies.

To make a gift in honor of Barry click below and select “Memorial Gift” fund. We will notify Barry’s family for each gift made in his honor.

Memorial Gift

Ryan Holloway, Executive Director

January 3, 2020

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Board of Directors Update

Board of Directors Update

God’s hand is truly at work in our ministry, and one way that is evident is in how he has grown our Board of Directors over the last few months. We are pleased to introduce you to one of our newest members, Heatherly Cabral. Heatherly is a native of Hampton Roads and is extremely active in local residential, commercial, and land development real estate in the community. A graduate of Oral Roberts University, she is now the Vice President and Managing Broker for Mid-Atlantic Residential and owner of Cornerstone Custom Homes. Heatherly’s mission is to live with her hands and heart to allow the Lord to use her as He will for His purpose and Kingdom, and we’re so thankful He led her to Care Net Peninsula.

Care Net Peninsula Board of Directors:

    • Barry Hellman, Jr., MD, President
    • Kathy O’Connell, MD, Vice President
    • Garrett Maroon, Secretary
    • Bobbie Lewis, Board Member
    • James Temple, Board Member
    • Heatherly Cabral, Board Member
    • Wayne Holcomb, Board Member

Amanda Franks, Marketing Director

September 26, 2019

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Care Net Peninsula is a 501(c)3 non-profit. We provide the help and hope local women need to choose life for their baby.

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