Onawa Knights to raise funds for Ultrasound Initiative

By RENEE WEBB
Content and Design Coordinator

There is a saying that a picture is worth 1,000 words. For those who work at pregnancy resource centers and those who offer support to the centers know an image can save a life.

When Her Health Women’s Center put out a call for help in securing an updated ultrasound last summer, the Knights of Columbus Council 6249 of Onawa decided to act upon it.

According to Knight Marvin Maly, treasurer of Council 6249, the council has given money annually to both Mary’s Choice Pregnancy and Family Resource Center in Sioux City and Her Health for many years.

“Pro-life efforts have been on the top of our priority list every year,” he said. 
With a desire to help the center replace an aging ultrasound, they decided as a local KC council to apply for participation in an ultrasound program offered by the Supreme Council.

Expanding pro-life efforts
“This gives us the opportunity to go a step further,” said Maly, who noted their past contributions mainly went to help the centers with operating expenses.

The Knights of Columbus Ultrasound Initiative Program is a program where the Supreme Council out of New Haven, Connecticut works with local and state KC councils to fund ultrasound machines for qualified pro-life pregnancy care centers. Since the program was established in 2009, more than $72 million has been contributed from the national council for the purchase of over 1,500 ultrasounds placed in all 50 states, Canada, Guatemala, Jamaica and Peru.

To sum up the Ultrasound Initiative, Maly pointed out that once a local or state council raises 50% of the cost of an ultrasound machine, the Supreme Council will provide matching funds for the other 50%. The money is to be given to the pregnancy crisis center for the center to purchase and own the machine.

The Supreme Council does require a process to ensure that the pregnancy center meets the practical and moral requirements for inclusion in the program. Included in the process is the completion of a Diocesan Evaluation form.

Maly mentioned he met with Dan Ellis, diocesan coordinator of pro-life ministries, about completing the evaluation form.

“It’s basically a review of the organization and a recommendation from my office as the pro-life ministries coordinator of the diocese,” said Ellis. “This is to ensure that its policies, procedures, practices and philosophy line up with the diocese and they do not contradict the prolife mission of the church.” 

Maly affirmed that the Supreme Council relies on the diocesan opinion to make sure the pregnancy center is a worthy organization. He also met directly with Her Health personnel to obtain needed information including their mission statement.

Evaluating 
In Ellis’ time at the diocese, the coordinator of pro-life ministries said he has completed several of these evaluations for such agencies as Mary’s Choice in Sioux City, Her Health in Le Mars, Cornerstone for Life in Storm Lake and a center in Sioux Center. He noted that the facilities do not need to be Catholic but must align with the pro-life values. 

“The Supreme Council wants to know that the designated organization is in compliance with our beliefs and our standards,” he said, noting that he makes a recommendation on behalf of the diocese.

Ellis pointed out that most people may not realize these pregnancy resource centers have ultrasound machines.

“The primary use of the ultrasound is not diagnostic but is to show the mother their baby. There is a heartbeat and there is life there,” he said, adding that this can change the mind and heart of the mother who possibly was thinking about an abortion. “That’s why the Knights of Columbus got involved with funding ultrasound machines around the country.”

Kristi Nathaniel, executive director of Her Health in Sioux City and Kathy Wentz, a registered nurse at the facility, expressed appreciation to the Knights for taking on this project. They pointed out that their current ultrasound machine is seven years old and when it comes to technology that’s getting fairly dated.

“By industry standards, by seven years it is considered old,” said Nathaniel. “For the Knights of Columbus to raise money for us, it is absolutely humbling and it is huge because it is so costly.”

To have an updated machine, she explained, provides for a better, clearer image. Not only do the women see a clearer image of the baby, but they more readily spot an issue such as an ectopic pregnancy.

Wentz mentioned that when technology is older, there is also more chance of it breaking down and have costly repairs and eventually even difficulties in repairing outdated technology.

She pointed out that when the women come to the office, as long as they have a positive pregnancy test Her Health offers them a limited OB ultrasound early in the pregnancy.

“The main purpose is to show them their baby, but we can confirm there is a pregnancy in their uterus,” Wentz said, adding that they do measurements to see if it matches where they think they are in the pregnancy by way of their period date. “It’s good for them to know how far along they are.” 

Power in image
While Her Health does try to provide a safe environment without judgement, she said in seeing the image of the baby it is their hope the women will keep the child. It doesn’t always happen, she added, “but that is what we pray for.”

Nathaniel mentioned when some mothers see the image of the baby it can make all the difference of going from fear and the feeling that life is over to knowing they can do it, they can keep the child.

“There is really power in the image,” she said. 

As technology grows, they both noted that machines continue to improve and that enables the heartbeat of the babies to be detected earlier.

“We absolutely appreciate people giving to this cause,” said Nathaniel. “It’s a huge financial burden and when that is lifted from us it allows us to use funds for the extra staffing, nurse and training needed on order to do the ultrasounds.”

The agency’s theme for the year is “abundant life” which can not only relate to finding abundant life in God but as they see how their baby is growing; they may find abundant life through their pregnancy and child.

Now that the Onawa council has received approval from the Supreme Council for Her Health, they are proceeding forward with fundraising efforts.

“What we are going to do now is try to contact all of the other councils in the service area to see about their willingness to make a donation,” said Maly, who noted the Le Mars Knights raised funds for an ultrasound at the Her Health location in that community. “If we can’t raise all of the funds through the KC councils, we will start contacting individuals to see if they will help finance the ultrasound.”

The cost of the ultrasound they are presently looking to fund is about $46,000.

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