On Sunday, Jan. 21, The Ashland Care Center held its annual Sanctity of Human Life service, an event dedicated to the lives lost to abortion within the past year.

This year’s service, held at the Bethel Baptist church in Savannah, featured guest speaker Cori Salchert.

Salchert is the founder of House of Hope, an organization that promotes and personally adopts babies in hospice care.

Salchert and her family have fostered six babies born with life-limiting diagnosis, and whose parents had given up guardianship due to the health of their child.

The family’s story was shared by multiple news outlets throughout the country and which has allowed Salchert to spread her story.

“It is so encouraging to see the people of the community coming together to celebrate life,” Maryanne Wise, volunteer and former board member of The Ashland Care Center, said. “Inspiring, amazing, words can’t describe how beautiful the event was.”

The event was one of their biggest turnouts the annual service has ever had, which takes place every January near the anniversary of the Roe v. Wade decision and the March for Life in Washington, D.C.

“It’s a way for women to heal, acknowledge, forgive, and receive forgiveness,” said Wise.

Wise will also be holding her own ministry titled, “Restore.” The ministry will focus on post-abortion and is designed towards healing those who have went through the experience.

Wise’s ministry will start on Feb. 8, running from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at an off-site location. Maryanne Wise can be contacted at [email protected] or at the Ashland Care Center.

Many Ashland University students in the nursing program attended Sunday’s event or attended the follow-up question and answer day which was held on Tuesday, Jan. 23.

This event, held at The College of Nursing and Health Sciences, allowed students to get a more personal connection.

“I’ve always had an interest in nursing, but she showed that you must have love and compassion for everyone, make their days the best that you can, and do things that take their mind off their current state and change it for the better,” Cassidy Newburg, sophomore nursing student, said. “Love and Compassion, no matter who you are or how young you are, that’s what we need.”