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Even for women who believe that a fetus is not a human being, an abortion is still a heavy decision. Logically, it shouldn’t be if the fetus truly holds no value, however this is simply not the case in reality. … Continue reading

This past Saturday, Illinois Right to Life sponsored the Simply Pro-life Teen event in Barrington, IL. I had the opportunity to speak at the event, to share the mission of our organization, and interact with many young people, some of … Continue reading

  ILLINOIS RIGHT TO LIFE RESPONSE TO PRESIDENT BIDEN’S EXECUTIVE ORDER ON TRAVEL FOR ABORTION   The following statement may be attributed to Amy Gehrke, Executive Director of Illinois Right to Life:   Today’s Executive Order on abortion signed by … Continue reading

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On Saturday July 9, Illinois Right to Life joined the March for Life Chicago to host the Dobbs Rally and March celebrating the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. It was warm and sunny in downtown Chicago … Continue reading

June, 2022 —- (CHICAGO) The following statement may be attributed to Amy Gehrke, Executive Director of Illinois Right to Life: Today, Illinois Right to Life joins millions of Americans in celebrating the end of Roe v. Wade, the 1973 Supreme … Continue reading

The entire team at Illinois Right to Life is excited to introduce our newest member: Emily Alcaraz! Emily joined Illinois Right to Life on June 7 as our new development manager and we couldn’t be more excited to add her … Continue reading

“The end of Roe.” That simple sentence evokes a mirage of emotions from different demographics of people in our country, and the overturning of Roe v. Wade is possibly the most controversial topic of our time, but today I want … Continue reading

On June 1st, the repeal of Parental Notice of Abortion will officially go into effect in Illinois. What does this mean? In short, young girls will no longer be protected from sex traffickers, abortion clinics will not be required to … Continue reading

It has now been over one month since the bodies of five late-term abortion victims were discovered outside an abortion clinic in Washington, D.C. The bodies were discovered by members of the Progressive Anti-Abortion Uprising (PAAU) and then turned over … Continue reading

Communications Assistant Illinois Right to Life Chicago, IL 60606 Illinois Right to Life is seeking a communications assistant with a strong background in social media, who is an outstanding writer, and who is highly organized with strong attention to detail. … Continue reading

It’s Coming Soon….… Here at Illinois Right to Life, we are getting ready to celebrate our 52nd birthday, and we would like you to celebrate right along with us! How? With gifts! For a friend, loved one, or even yourself. What’s … Continue reading

A story of so many of the difficulties of our world: child molestation, teen rape, repeated abortions, drugs, eating disorders- you name it. Kelly Lester’s story is one of experiencing the unimaginable in her life and ultimately finding her way … Continue reading

Kids know. I love talking to people around Illinois about how we can save babies in our state as well as how we can best help women experiencing crisis pregnancies, but I most enjoy learning from the kids. Last week, … Continue reading

Fierce Mercy: Those two words together might seem ironic. If you think about it, fierce doesn’t seem to be a good adjective to describe mercy, does it? Well, Abby Johnson disagrees. Our executive director Amy Gehrke interviewed Abby Johnson on … Continue reading

Sometimes the most beautiful, inspiring stories seem the simplest from the outside. I met Anna Flock at our first-ever Ground Zero Tour last October. She had nothing but good things to say about the pro-life movement and Illinois Right to … Continue reading

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Amy Gehrke, Executive Director 312-422-9300 [email protected]   Over 10,000 Women Came to Illinois for Abortions in 2020 – An Increase of Approximately 29 Percent.   The following statement may be attributed to Amy Gehrke, Executive … Continue reading

In a major departure from the norm, the Illinois Primaries will be held this year on Tuesday, June 28th, much later than their usual date in March. This is unprecedented for Illinois.  Why the change of date? The short answer … Continue reading

The beating of the drums, chilling winds and slick sidewalks, crowds of people as far as the eye can see. For anyone who grew up in the Chicagoland area and regularly attended the March for Life Chicago as a child, … Continue reading

Dear Amy, “The Illinois General Assembly is going back into session this week. Now that they’ve overturned Illinois’s last pro-life law (the Parental Notice of Abortion Act), what can we expect to happen with abortion and other life issues this … Continue reading

  FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Amy Gehrke, Executive Director 312-422-9300 [email protected] SUPREME COURT LETS TEXAS HEARTBEAT LAW STAND December 10, 2021 —- (CHICAGO) Today, the Court rendered its decision on whether Texas SB 8, the Heartbeat Law, can continue. Four … Continue reading

One of the elements of our executive director’s 3-pronged plan is “Education.” The past two weekends, Illinois Right to Life has been educating the youth on why it is so important to be outspokenly pro-life. Two weeks ago, our communications … Continue reading

It’s hard to believe it’s been one year since I first stepped off the Amtrak Hiawatha from Milwaukee for my first day at Illinois Right to Life.  Thanks to the incredible work of my predecessor, Mary Kate Knorr, I’d been … Continue reading

Dear Amy, I live in southeast Wisconsin but follow the abortion issue in Illinois since we are so close to the border. I recently heard that your parental notice of abortion law was repealed. What does that mean for minor … Continue reading

On December 1st, the United States Supreme Court will hear the oral arguments for the Dobbs vs. Jackson Womens’ Health case. This case has the potential to overturn Roe v. Wade and, because of this, December 1st is a momentous … Continue reading

Dear Amy, SB0025 of 6/12/19 repealed the Illinois Abortion Law of 1975, the Partial-birth Abortion Ban Act, and the Abortion Performance Refusal Act. I have reached out to the bill’s author Melinda Bush several times to learn if the repeal … Continue reading

Dear Amy, Abortion is purportedly justified under the aegis of privacy. As with contraception and sodomy, abortion ls a legally protected “privacy right.” But abortion advocates don’t stop there. We have Planned Parenthood (an NGO?) racketeering together with the State … Continue reading

Anyone who watched last week’s debate over the Parental Notice of Abortion Act (PNA) witnessed a parade of the abortion industry’s most misleading tropes. These included lots of passionate proclamations about a woman’s right to choose, that abortion is healthcare, … Continue reading

We need YOU in Springfield! The Illinois General Assembly is considering multiple ways to repeal Parental Notice of Abortion, undermining parental rights and putting our daughters at risk. This week, they will consider several pieces of legislation to repeal or … Continue reading

On Thursday, Illinois Right to Life put on our first-ever Ground Zero Tour: Preparing Illinois for a Post-Roe America. It was a MASSIVE SUCCESS with around 75 people attending: a sell-out! Our Executive Director Amy Gehrke explained the educational and … Continue reading

We hope you enjoyed learning about our first group of passionate individuals last week! This week, we introduce to you four more of our social media ambassadors, from different backgrounds and walks of life, who are all united in fighting … Continue reading

This weekend, I spoke at the Life Symposium in Vermont. Presented by the Vermont Right to Life Committee Educational Trust Fund, this all-day event was designed to educate the public on “the issues impacting human life at the crossroads of … Continue reading

Looking for a way to share what you are passionate about on social media? As we all know, social media is more than prominent these days: it’s where so many people get their news and entertainment, and it has allowed … Continue reading

In 2008, in the lead-up to the presidential election, then-Senator Joe Biden declared that a human’s life begins at conception. In 2015, he once again affirmed his view that at “the moment of conception is a human life and being”. … Continue reading

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Amy Gehrke, Executive Director 312-422-9300 ILLINOIS RIGHT TO LIFE REACTS TO U.S. SUPREME COURT UPHOLDING TEXAS’S ABORTION BAN September 2, 2021 —- (CHICAGO) Illinois Right to Life applauds the members of the U.S. Supreme Court on … Continue reading

There are countless approaches to turning a nation pro-life: from the important legislation that must be pushed, to the changing of hearts and minds, to providing resources to women in need. This is all extremely important and in my role … Continue reading

For Immediate Release: August 13th, 2021                      Media Contact: Amy Gehrke, Spokesperson, Illinois Right to Life Action 312-422-9300, [email protected]   JUSTICE BOB THOMAS, FORMER CHIEF JUSTICE OF THE ILLINOIS SUPREME COURT, TO KEYNOTE ILLINOIS RIGHT TO LIFE ACTION EVENT Illinois Right … Continue reading

By: Dr. Steve Jacobs Last summer, Illinois Right to Life was honored to have issued one of the eight briefs that urged the Supreme Court to agree to hear the case in Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization and to … Continue reading

Eric Scheidler can’t remember a time when he was not pro-life. However, his ways of addressing the abortion issue have changed over the years and ultimately led him to taking over his father’s position as Executive Director of Pro-Life Action … Continue reading

“Within just a moment, just about 60 seconds, I saw my life plan… I saw it all just flash before my eyes.”  In the latest episode of Life Chat Rebekah Hagan explains the utter fear and discouragement she felt when … Continue reading

Looking to support an organization that helps women in need? Want to join friends, family, and others who share your passion for protecting women and their children, both born and preborn? Come join us for Project Love’s 25th Anniversary Breakfast … Continue reading

A dynamic hero for women, Georgette’s story is relatively simple: At 16, she got an abortion because it seemed like the simple solution. However, it wasn’t until she was in her mid-thirties that she finally found healing. What she did … Continue reading

Around ten o’clock this morning our development manager, Sarah Brown, came rushing back to the office from a coffee run. “There’s a woman outside who has a baby,” she explained, “And she needs our help.” On her way back to … Continue reading

With Father’s Day being just around the corner, we have the perfect way to celebrate all the courageous fathers you know. Customarily, at this time of the year, our grant program, Project Love, offers its beautiful Father’s Day cards. This … Continue reading

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s monumental decision to hear Dobbs vs. Jackson Women’s Health Organization, a case that will examine the constitutionality of Mississippi’s 15-week abortion ban and has the potential to overturn Roe v. Wade, Dr. Steve … Continue reading

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Steve Jacobs [email protected] 312-422-9300 U.S. SUPREME COURT AGREES TO HEAR MISSISSIPPI’S CHALLENGE TO ROE V. WADE MAY 17, 2021 — (CHICAGO) Illinois Right to Life applauds the United States Supreme Court on its decision to grant … Continue reading

On May 11th, it will be approximately a year since the grand opening of the mega-Planned Parenthood clinic in Waukegan, Illinois. Last year when the clinic opened, people from around Illinois gathered for a large protest, symbolizing how large the … Continue reading

On Saturday, April 24th, the Rockford Family Initiative organized a rally against the pro-abortion lobby’s attempt to repeal Illinois’ Parental Notification of Abortion Act. In Springfield, our representatives are debating legislation that would allow a minor to get an abortion … Continue reading

Clarke Forsythe, Senior Counsel for Americans United for Life, has been involved in the pro-life movement since 1985. He is the author of Politics for the Greater Good: The Case for Prudence in the Public Square and, most recently, Abuse … Continue reading

Life Chat, a podcast produced by Illinois Right to Life, is relaunching with a new host!  Dr. Steve Jacobs, our program director, will be having conversations with prominent pro-life voices and leaders from Illinois and throughout the country–and you can … Continue reading

Roe v. Wade has often been referred to as “the case that legalized abortion” and “the worst case in American History.” However, beyond these descriptions of this major Supreme Court ruling, what do the young people of today really know … Continue reading

There is a school of thought  among some pro-life advocates that those who work at Planned Parenthood, or any abortion clinic for that matter, are “raunchy and rude,” or have “so much hate in their hearts.” At the same time, … Continue reading

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Illinois Right to Life [email protected] 312-422-9300 ILLINOIS RIGHT TO LIFE RESPONDS TO POLL RESULTS SHOWING PUBLIC SUPPORT OF PARENTAL NOTICE OF ABORTION ACT MARCH 15, 2021 – (Chicago) On Monday, Illinois Right to Life Executive Director … Continue reading

Communications Manager Illinois Right to Life Chicago, IL 60606 Illinois Right to Life is seeking a communications manager who is a consummate storyteller, thrives on challenges, is deadline-driven, keeps up with the latest communications trends, and is passionate about the … Continue reading

A newly proposed bill in Tennessee is taking a lesser-used approach to the abortion issue: what if fathers had some power to protect their child from being killed in abortion? What if the father, who had an equal part in … Continue reading

Arguably the most touching and inspiring ad of this year’s Super Bowl was Toyota’s 60-second ad entitled “Upstream” which featured a remarkably pro-life message. In one short minute, it managed to tell the story of a woman, born with a … Continue reading

As Texas takes steps towards ending taxpayer funded abortion within its borders, some pushback has arisen. Last week, Democrat Judge Maya Guerra Gamble successfully blocked Texas from removing Planned Parenthood from their Medicaid plan. Just hours after Planned Parenthood filed … Continue reading

SARAH HUCKABEE SANDERS, FORMER WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY AND GUBERNATORIAL CANDIDATE, TO KEYNOTE ILLINOIS RIGHT TO LIFE EVENT February 4, 2021—(Chicago) Illinois Right to Life recently announced that Sarah Huckabee Sanders, former White House Press Secretary and Arkansas gubernatorial candidate, … Continue reading

By Amy Gehrke, Executive Director On  Thursday, January 21, I was happy to host four of Illinois’s top pro-life leaders for our “Future of Illinois Politics” webinar. This was a comprehensive, hour-long discussion of anti-life bills that will likely be … Continue reading

Statement from Amy Gehrke, Executive Director, on January 22, 2021:   Today we sadly commemorate the 48th Anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion in America. This year, for many, hope has turned to sadness. It’s easy … Continue reading

The political turmoil of 2020 has, unfortunately, spilled into 2021. With Democrats now in control of both our State and Federal Governments, those who understand the sanctity of all innocent human life are likely wondering, “What’s next?” No need to … Continue reading

All of us who are pro-life know that standing for life in today’s world can be difficult. Despite the ridicule, anger, and insults we sometimes face we know, without a doubt, that we are on the side of joy, hope, … Continue reading

Many people are pro-life with their words, some are pro-life with both their words and actions, but for some, their pro-life beliefs are cemented after they’ve been tested in the fire. This is the case for the Santorum family, as … Continue reading

There’s someone special we would like you to meet. It is our pleasure introduce you to Amy Gehrke –  our new executive director! We couldn’t be more excited and proud to welcome Amy to the IRL team! Amy brings with … Continue reading

The following article is a synopsis of an episode from our Life Chat Podcast series. To listen to the full episode, click here. Pro-life healthcare is a highly contested issue in the pro-life movement, largely because of the highly politicized nature … Continue reading

In the past few weeks, two (quite arguably) pro-life country songs have risen to the top of the charts in country music.“One of them Girls” and “One Beer” are numbers 4 and 6 on the Hot Country Billboard chart. “One … Continue reading

Last week, a Tennessee law banning abortion for a number of reasons was partially upheld in the appeals court as debates concerning this law continue. According to CNN the “6th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted part of a lower court’s … Continue reading

On Saturday, November 14, an Illinois Right to Life employee went to pray by the Aurora Planned Parenthood and talk to the others who were there along with them. A few members of Pro-Life Action League were there leading some … Continue reading

It’s no secret that social media outlets have been increasingly targeting conservative viewpoints in recent years. Facebook’s fact checkers are all too eager to hide information that does not coincide with their viewpoints–even when the information is true and credible. … Continue reading

No matter the outcome of this election, the pro-life generation will never stop fighting for every human’s basic rights. Joe Biden, on the contrary, has a plan to fight against one of the most fundamental rights–that of the right to … Continue reading

52 to 48, the U.S. Senate voted on October 26th to confirm Amy Coney Barrett, a vibrantly pro-life mother of seven, to the Supreme Court. This confirmation pushes a rightward shift in the balance of power of the federal judiciary. … Continue reading

The following article is a synopsis of an episode from our Life Chat Podcast series. To listen to the full episode, click here. Men’s involvement in the abortion debate is one of the most controversial and taboo topics related to this … Continue reading

The following article is a synopsis of an episode from our Life Chat Podcast series. To listen to the full episode, click here. Could someone still be mourning a decision they made thirty-plus years earlier? Could it have such an impact … Continue reading

October is Respect Life month, and with this comes many pro-life activities and events to get involved in. It’s important that we have a pro-life mindset, but with that comes the responsibility to go out into the world, make our … Continue reading

The following article is a synopsis of an episode from our Life Chat Podcast series. To listen to the full episode, click here. In yet another Life Chat episode, Mary Kate Knorr delves deep into the destruction of pornography on … Continue reading