The Importance of Planned Parenthood in a College Community
Posted by Hanna Foster
September 29, 2015
As a college student, living paycheck-to-paycheck, I understand the importance of affordable healthcare. I am lucky enough to still be on my parent’s health insurance which covers my current method of birth control. I am privileged beyond compare by this alone, but not everyone is so lucky.
College is a time specifically known for growth and struggle. I mean, we hear people constantly referring to life in college revolving around being able to afford nothing but ramen noodles and cereal for dinner every night. It’s no surprise that if college aged students can barely afford their meals, that they probably struggle with paying for their medical needs as well.
This is what Planned Parenthood is here for. Planned Parenthood works towards offering healthcare to those without insurance, to those who can’t afford it, and to those who have to make decisions that their insurance holder may have no business knowing about.
Planned Parenthood offers many different options to help give young adults the ability to safely make these decisions for themselves. For example, they have an entire page on their website with articles and quizzes and games meant to educate young adults on safe sex, STI’s, pregnancy, and even just about how our bodies change as we grow.
Some clinics even offer Teen Outreach Programs that aim to support a healthy lifestyle, reduce the risks of unintended pregnancy, and help teens work in groups with others to do service learning projects.
My best friend, Cheyenne Beck, told me about her Planned Parenthood experience. “They’ve actually gone above and beyond.” Beck said, “My mom lost her insurance so they offered me the Family Planning Pack.”
Planned Parenthood offers birth control, pap smears, physical exams, STI tests, and many other options of healthcare to college aged young adults at a much more affordable price than other health centers may offer. They help make birth control, abortion, and overall healthcare more affordable for those of us who can hardly afford a decent meal.
“On top of everything, I’m a college student, with a low income family, and a single mom who is disabled; I don’t have the opportunity for healthcare.” Beck said, “Planned Parenthood gives me a way to do what is necessary.”
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