Planned Parenthood Responds To Tim Tebow Ad

ALBANY, NY (02/04/2010)(readMedia)-- Over the past week, Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood has heard expressions of concern and anger from supporters regarding the television ad featuring football player Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam Tebow, that is scheduled to air during this weekend's Super Bowl. Patricia McGeown, President/CEO of Upper Hudson, has joined with other Planned Parenthoods across the country in refusing to protest the airing of this ad. "In fact," stated McGeown, "Pam Tebow's story is an example of a woman given the opportunity to make a difficult and critical choice about whether or not to continue a pregnancy. This is exactly what Planned Parenthood stands for."

This opinion is further explored in a statement by Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) President, Cecile Richards, and included below. PPFA has also launch an on-line video featuring US Olympian Al Joyner and former college poprofessional football player Sean James sharing their own thought about sports, families and the importance of personal decision making. The video can be viewed at :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=utcxpuHF7jg

Statement by Planned Parenthood Federation of America President, Cecile Richards:

"Planned Parenthood respects the ability of every woman to make important personal medical decisions for herself and her family, including the decision by Pam Tebow more than 20 years ago to carry her high-risk pregnancy to term and deliver her son Tim. The Tebows' story is compelling, and central to it is the fact that we must respect the ability of every woman to make important medical decisions for herself and her family, after receiving counsel from medical professionals, religious leaders, family members, or others she trusts.

"The Tebow story underlines what Planned Parenthood has learned from the millions of women doctors and nurses at its health centers have cared for over nearly a century. Women take decisions about their health very seriously. They consider their doctors' advice, they talk with their loved ones and people they trust, including religious leaders, and they carefully weigh all considerations before making the best decision for themselves and their families. This is true whether it's a decision about their choice of contraception, specific medical treatments for illnesses like cancer, challenges related to medically complex pregnancies, or any other important health care issue they are considering.

"If Focus on the Family, the sponsor of the ad about the Tebow family, has its way, millions of women would no longer be able to make important personal medical decisions for themselves and their families when it comes to abortion. Focus on the Family's long-stated goal is to outlaw abortion except in rare cases when the woman's life is severely at risk. This is an extreme position, which would rob every woman of the ability to make important personal medical decisions for herself and her family.

"In addition to opposing a woman's ability to make important medical decisions for herself, Focus on the Family also opposes commonsense comprehensive sex education and life-saving stem cell research. The agenda of this organization is far outside the mainstream of American life.

"Planned Parenthood urges all Americans to ponder the true meaning of the Tebow family's experience - one in which a woman was presented with medical and moral considerations and made a deeply personal decision in private without government interference. That is exactly what we want every woman to be able to do when she must make important and highly personal medical decisions."

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Planned Parenthood Federation of America is the nation's leading sexual and reproductive health care provider and advocate. We believe that everyone has the right to choose when or whether to have a child, and that every child should be wanted and loved. Planned Parenthood affiliates operate more than 840 health centers nationwide, providing medical services and sexuality education for millions of women, men, and teenagers each year. We also work with allies worldwide to ensure that all women and men have the right and the means to meet their sexual and reproductive health care needs.