Abortion patient speaks out about ordeal, travel to Southern Nevada for medical access

By Jaclyn Schultz

Click here for updates on this story

    LAS VEGAS (KVVU) — An Arizona woman shares her tumultuous ordeal to obtain medical access for an abortion procedure, traveling across state lines to Nevada.

Planned Parenthood estimates that 10,000 patients will travel to Nevada, New Mexico and Colorado for medical treatments, after dozens of other states seek to limit access or have already placed halts on procedures.

Kendra, 34, from the Phoenix area, is one of the many patients from numerous states who suddenly had access halted, and sought travel to another state as an emergency option. She said the procedure was a decision made for her personal welfare and her family.

“We were actually waiting to see the doctors for our first appointment. Me and some other girls were lined up outside waiting. At like 7:50 a.m., they came out and told us that Roe v. Wade was overturned and we would have to go. They couldn’t help us,” she said. “For it to be taken away on the same day, [I was] really, really angry. And, not for myself, but for other women that don’t have the availability to go do it, or now are stuck in situations that they may not be able to get to a clinic,” she said.

“And for all that to be ripped away from us as women is really frustrating… you don’t know what a woman’s situation is, or what they have going on in their lives,” she said.

Kendra started searching frantically on her phone for options, and a local clinic in Las Vegas was able to accommodate her. She said she was grateful for their care and compassion, considering the circumstances facing so many out-of-state patients.

“Fortunately, they are there for us, the state of Nevada. I’m very thankful for that. I called Nevada first. And they were able to get me in,” she said. Local clinics have told FOX5 that they have expanded their days or hours, to help out-of-state patients.

The ordeal cost Kendra and her boyfriend thousands of dollars, from several days of lost income, travel, gas, hotel and recovery.

“I had to drive out there, get a motel, and be away from home, which was hard because it was a different feeling not being home,” she said. “It was a lot to have to do, just for something like that, that I could have had done here in Arizona if that wouldn’t have been overturned,” she said.

Kendra said she is concerned for millions of other women and patients who cannot easily travel like she did, or have a support system to help with expenses or recovery.

“It makes me very angry… now women have no choice in that, and we have someone else making that decision for us,” she said. “I’m not necessarily 100% comfortable with people knowing my business, but then again, I want other women to see that it’s okay. I just want people to know that I stand him for what I believe in. And that’s women’s to have their choices and their rights. And that’s why I’m willing to do this,” she said.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak issued an executive order strengthening abortion access, protecting patients coming from other states.

Under the order, Nevada will not give information to another state seeking a civil or criminal case, against patients, doctors or staff, or extradite anyone who may face criminal penalties in another state.

Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform.