By Samantha Kamman, Columnist
Ashley Bratcher, the star of the pro-life film Unplanned, has decided to partner with Heartbeat International – one of the largest pregnancy help centers in the world – to establish academic scholarships for women facing unplanned pregnancies so they may continue their educational careers raising their children. Bratcher was surprised by the messages she had received from women who had been touched by her role in the film, and some messages contained courageous stories of sacrifice from women who had chosen life. But some messages spoke of the fears some women facing unplanned pregnancies had about it interfering with their ability to attend or complete college. It was then that Bratcher decided to “reverse the negative stigma surrounding unplanned pregnancies.”
“Women CAN pursue their careers, live out their dreams, and have richer, more fulfilling lives while balancing motherhood… sometimes it just takes a little help. I wanted to be a part of empowering mothers to chase their dreams and to provide a means for those who chose life to continue their educations.”
The Unplanned Movie Scholarship aims to award women facing an unexpected pregnancy with a $5,000 annual scholarship to be used towards funding their education. Speaking on the scholarship, Heartbeat International’s president, Jor-El Godsey, said:
“Tucked into Unplanned is a vivid reminder that education can present an obstacle to accepting the new life within. The Unplanned Movie Scholarship will be a lifeline to a young mom’s future as she makes the brave choice to embrace motherhood.”
When asked how she felt about her partnership with Heartbeat International, Bratcher said:
“Working with Heartbeat is an opportunity to direct women to the support that so many of them are seeking. Not only will the scholarship financially support the decision of mothers to continue their education, but it will also connect them to an organization that will support them throughout their pregnancy and beyond.”
