SALISBURY — October is a recognition month for a number of issues, from breast cancer to domestic violence, but for members of Rowan County’s Pro Life Committee, the month is about celebrating the life of the unborn.

On Oct. 6, supporters gathered on the corner of Main and Innes streets for the local participation in a National Prayer Chain to kick off the “Respect Life Month.” The prayer chain is an annual gathering of those who believe there are options other than abortion for unwanted or unplanned pregnancies.

The group works with Life Choices Rowan which is an active organization that supports expectant mothers in a number of ways, both before and after birth.

“It is the goal of our pro-life mission to show the need for respecting one’s body and the responsibility of ourselves, men and women, to understand the consequences of the decisions we make,” said Barbara Franklin, organizer of the prayer chain and a strong believer in the sanctity of life.

“I do believe life begins at conception,” she said, “and I do believe there are options, there is help, there is assistance for an unexpected pregnancy.”

She said the number of lives lost to terminated pregnancies is in the thousands, and when she thinks of the people each of those babies would have become, and what they would have contributed, it “breaks my heart. This is my passion.”

She said she believes part of the problem is people who are treating abortion as birth control, and engaging in intercourse without other protection in the belief that if a pregnancy happens, they can simply abort the fetus.

“We need to be more respectful of ourselves, particularly as women,” she said. “No one should expect intimacy on a first date, and certainly we should be more cautious.”

In response to the argument that the early embryo is not yet a person, Franklin says it is a matter of human rights.

“It’s true that human beings in the womb are different from other humans in many ways, but those differences don’t determine our rights,” she said. Suppose that certain characteristics, such as appearance or mental development, do determine human rights, then “that standard doesn’t just exclude unborn children. It excludes others as well — like infants, comatose patients, and people with advanced dementia.”

She added that she knows anyone who has been through an abortion likely still suffers, that she does not believe women understand the full impact of the procedure.

“There is the physical impact but there is also the emotional, psychological impact and I don’t think women are told about that,” she said.

Life Choices Rowan, which has been in operation for years, offers education on all of the options for handling an unwanted or unplanned pregnancy.

The organization hosted its 38th annual fundraising banquet Oct. 3 at West End Plaza and the guest speaker was Kevin Sorbo. Sorbo is known for playing the lead in the TV series “Hercules,” during which time he suffered three strokes resulting from an aneurism in his left shoulder. Since then, he has worked on a number of different projects, working to express his faith and his changed outlook on life.

In 2019, Sorbo was the third-highest fundraiser for pro-life causes in America.

Additionally, since 1997, he has led “A World Fit for Kids,” a mentoring model that trains inner-city teens to use school, fitness, sports and positive role models to improve their lives.

“He did an outstanding job, I wish everyone could have heard him,” said Franklin. “But most importantly, we want people to know they have options and that every baby is wanted. So many couples cannot have children and want to adopt, if they are just not ready to be parents. There are options.”