Choices Center for Reproductive Health opens in Carbondale

CARBONDALE, Ill. (KFVS) - Carbondale is now home to a new reproductive health center that provides abortions.

After Roe v. Wade was overturned, many of the states that now have the most restrictive abortion laws are just south of Illinois. This will be the closes clinic for many people across the southeast.

Carbondale was chosen because of its geographic location. President and CEO of Choices, Jennifer Pepper, made the announcement in May.

“Choices in Carbondale will be the southernmost abortion clinic in Illinois. And Illinois is going to be a lifeline for people in the south who are pregnant and don’t want to be,” Pepper said.

Not everyone in Carbondale is enthused about their new neighbor.

“It grieves us,” Scott Davis, a volunteer with a group called Coalition Life said. “I’m very conscious through my healthcare background of the incredible harm for women that abortion represents.”

Davis was among four protestors outside of the clinic on Wednesday. He said Carbondale is being used and that the city has many other options that do not include abortion.

“There’s multiple churches around here including mine, that would adopt a child, that would support a woman. There’s a pregnancy resource center about three-quarters-of-a-mile from here that we support,” Davis said.

In a statement regarding the center’s opening, Pepper said they are truly honored to join the community and they are excited to continue to add services at the new clinic.

Officials at Choices also said they will eventually bring other services to their Carbondale clinic.

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