Students for Life

We are the pro life generation and we will always rise up for the most vulnerable.
I am pro-life because I believe in the beauty and dignity of every human life. I firmly believe that every person deserves the opportunity to live and make a difference in the world. Life is truly sacred and when this basic right is threatened or denied by the law, it is important to raise our voices for those who cannot speak and those who have been silenced. Every life has a purpose and the effect each life can have on another is breathtaking. Being pro- life is about caring for others at every stage of life.
As a nursing student, I recently studied a module on maternity and child health and as I was learning about fetal development, I was struck by every intricate detail pertaining to the growth and development of the baby and the maternal changes the body undertakes to provide nourishment for this growing child. I was truly left in awe by the wonder and beauty of every life. Life is truly the greatest miracle of all!
However, I was equally saddened by the culture of death which advocates for the destruction of precious and innocent lives, some choosing abortion for a variety of reasons and many others choosing to dehumanize these vulnerable members of society by calling them derogatory terms, stripping them of any dignity.
Studying this module showed me that all mothers and their children deserves endless love, true compassion, and support. Despite the devastating results of the 2018 referendum, the pro- life movement united to stand for the dignity and value of every life more than ever before. We must continue this momentum to turn the tide and create a culture of life in our society to protect the most vulnerable.
As a student nurse, I am an advocate for my elderly and sick patients. I am learning to maximise my patient’s potential, aiding their recovery and boosting their quality of life as much as possible. With euthanasia being tabled in the Dáil, it is disturbing to see many of our own TDs voting in favour of “Dying with Dignity”. Our politicians are supposed to work, advocate for, and listen to all their constituents and not to exclude anyone. If passed, it will make the most vulnerable in society feel like a burden with a duty to end their lives.
For a society that has been deeply troubled by the Coronavirus pandemic and subsequent lockdowns, it is inexcusable that time be spent debating assisted suicide and euthanasia and any decision to do so will only add to the trauma on our airways at this time. It will most certainly have a negative impact on Ireland’s long- standing history of providing quality and impartial healthcare provided by well- trained doctors and nurses for decades, if not centuries.
Just because these vulnerable members of our society suffer from illnesses or are voiceless, does not mean they are any less valuable. Size, level of development, environment and level of dependency never determines someone’s personhood or value. I entered nursing to care for the sick, the vulnerable and the outcasts, to be the change in the world to create an environment of true justice and fairness.
Rebekah, University College Cork