When a mother is in an unplanned pregnancy, every little bit
helps. For more than 40 years, Birthright of Fredericksburg has been present
for women in their hour of need. In addition to providing pregnancy tests, they
also provide counseling, access to resources, and invaluable moral support
before and after birth. Despite their impact, Director Rosemary O’Grady
believes the organization is not as widely known as it used to be.
According to O’Grady, when they celebrated their 40th
anniversary, people that attended said they remembered Birthright from years
before when it was led by the chapter’s founder, Irene Hagerty. But not as much
now.
This is something she hopes to change.
Originally from Canada, O’Grady studied nursing in Cleveland,
where she also studied to become a podiatrist. She moved to Fredericksburg with
her husband in 1985 where they raised their son. O’Grady opened and ran her
podiatry practice for 32 years.
Her passion for the pro-life cause grew out of her love for her
family and her seven siblings. It was sharpened after experiencing four
miscarriages.
Her involvement with Birthright began in the aftermath of the
2014 Senate race, which many people saw as a loss for the pro-life community.
Discussing her frustration with a friend led to an invitation to
start volunteering at Birthright. O’Grady worked side by side fellow volunteers
for four years, providing mothers with a safe place to confront roadblocks to
pregnancy and being their ally throughout the pregnancy journey.
“I can’t change how people vote but I can do this,” said O’Grady.
“I thought, if somewhere along the line if I could save one mother from having
an abortion, then I would have done what I need to do here.”
She became director in October 2018 and began looking for
opportunities for community outreach in schools, health centers and the general
population.
Their first big break came when she saw an ad for a $3,000 grant
from Rappahannock General Electric to purchase infant car seats. They applied
for the grant and were notified in April that they were selected. According to
O’Grady, receiving this grant will provide 33 mothers with car seats and promote
Birthright.
In addition to recruiting and training volunteers, O’Grady hopes
to foster the organization’s relationships with other nearby pro-life
organizations such as Bethany Adoption Services, Choices Women’s Center and
Mary’s Shelter.
Birthright recently invited volunteers from these organizations
to attend a talk on human trafficking at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Church in Fredericksburg Oct. 24.
For O’Grady, the best part of working with Birthright is the
volunteers.
“They are women who are all of the same mindset, and I have
complete confidence in them,” said O’Grady. “The work that we do and the good
people that I do it with — you can’t buy that. It is totally freely given, a
gift to another person.”
Kassock is a freelance writer in Fredericksburg
Birthright Centers in Virginia
Woodbridge Birthright
4207 Dale Blvd., Woodbridge, Va.
703/583-1178
birthrightofwoodbridge.org
Leesburg Birthright
16 Royal St. SE, Leesburg, Va. 20175
703/777-7272
birthright.org
Manassas Birthright
10752 Ambassador Dr. Ste B, Manassas, Va.
703/361-9769
birthright.org
Fredericksburg Birthright
2006 Lafayette Blvd. Ste 202, Fredericksburg
540/898-8558
birthrightoffredericksburg.com