Vigil for Life, Madison, is happy to announce Dr. John Bohn, MD as our new Director of Outreach. Dr. Bohn will carry on the work of former Director of Outreach, Jan Hess, by continuing to build the network of people praying and/or sidewalk counseling on the public sidewalks surrounding Planned Parenthood (an abortion-only facility) in Madison. The goal of Vigil for Life, Madison has been and will continue to be the closure of Planned Parenthood in Madison.
Throughout his career in health care, Dr. Bohn has served as a pharmacist, physician, principal investigator for FDA approved drug research studies, and online college instructor. He has always had a passion for teaching and has provided instruction and given numerous talks to both lay and professional audiences on a wide range of topics, including a weekly live television call-in segment addressing pediatric and parenting topics on Madisonʼs WISC TV 3 news which ran for over 13 years.
As a pediatrician who has cared for extremely premature babies who are clearly human and very much alive, the widespread use of abortion is particularly distressing to Dr. Bohn. During his training, he recalls being taught that, if you are personally opposed to abortion, the “proper, professional, and ethical” thing to do when someone approaches you about an abortion is to simply refer them to someone who does do abortions – but say nothing about your views or concerns, or present other possible options.
“We were made to feel that doing otherwise would somehow amount to be cruel, judgmental, and insensitive browbeating or manipulative proselytizing,” Dr. Bohn notes, “Today, many doctors still adhere to that teaching – but it is a lie, based on a particular worldview rather than on science or medical ethics.”
Withholding information that a patient has a right to know is neither proper, professional, nor ethical,” he adds, “In fact, a physician has an obligation to provide it. This includes facts about abortion itself, short and long-term risks, and the many alternative options available – as well as the wide availability of assistance and support. This can be done with accuracy, sensitivity, compassion, and hope – while respecting both mother and unborn baby.”
“To cultivate a true Culture of Life – and reduce the practice of abortion to the disturbing ʻI canʼt believe we humans actually did thatʼ annals of history – still requires much more work. Advocacy and the expansion of resources are crucial tools in this fight, but since the underlying battle is not against flesh and blood, but against spiritual forces of darkness, prayer remains our primary tool for winning such a battle,” Dr. Bohn asserts, “Thatʼs why ever-growing and ever-fruitful endeavors like Madisonʼs Vigil For Life should give us great hope.”
