While still in her mother’s womb
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| Samantha Murray is all smiles as she displays a picture of herself holding a picture of her ultrasound. The photograph of Samantha and her ultrasound is being used for all of the promotional materials for the Abigail Women’s Clinic’s sixth annual fundraiser banquet. (BCR photo/Barb Kromphardt) |
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PRINCETON — A picture of a Princeton girl is featured on all of the printed materials for the Abigail Women’s Clinic’s annual fundraising campaign.
Actually, make that two pictures of a Princeton girl.
Several months before Samantha Murray was born, she was the star of the clinic’s first fundraising banquet.
“A friend of mine was the coordinator of the committee, and I happened to run into her at the grocery store, and I had just found out I was pregnant with Samantha,” said Yvonne Murray, Samantha’s mother. “She said, ‘Oh, we’re having this banquet, and we’re doing this live ultrasound. Would you be interested?’”
The Abigail Women’s Clinic is located in Mendota, but for that banquet five years ago, the directors were looking at purchasing a mobile unit to deliver pregnancy testing and ultrasounds to women throughout the area.
“That was why they decided to do a live ultrasound at the banquet,” Murray said.
Murray had never been a patient at the clinic, but she supported its work and was happy to help.
Murray, who is also the mother of two teen-aged sons, had another reason for wanting to help.
“We had been trying for about five years to have another baby,” she said. “And were told we probably never would be able to have any more children.
So when Murray learned Samantha was on the way, she called her a “miracle baby.
“When they asked us to do the ultrasound, I said, ‘You know what? She is a gift from God, and if I can give back, then I’m going to do that,’” Murray said.
At the banquet, Murray and then another woman went behind a curtain to have an ultrasound, which was projected on a screen for the audience to see.
“A lot of people, especially of the older generation, had never seen an ultrasound,” Murray said.
Murray’s husband, Tim, was in the audience.
“He could hear the reactions of people around him, and he said they were just amazed,” she said.
At the end of the ultrasound, Murray said Samantha did something unexpected.
“She just throws her arm up like she’s saying bye,” Murray said laughing. “It was so cute.”
This year, Murray is on the Banquet Committee, and at one of the first meetings, clinic director Joyce Fassig said she would like to use Samantha as a poster child. Murray agreed, and a picture of the now 4-year-old Samantha holding a picture of her ultrasound is on all of the printed materials, including the invitations, response cards and program.
“Her picture’s everywhere,” Murray said with a laugh. “I had no idea what we were getting into.”
Samantha’s not the only Murray to be pictured. On the inside of the invitation is a three-dimensional ultrasound picture of little brother, Corwin.
Murray would like to see the committee do another live ultrasound someday because many people have never even seen one. She related a story told at the banquet five years ago about a pregnant girl who came in for an ultrasound and was amazed.
“All the girl could say was, ‘That’s my baby,’” Murray said.
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Where and when?
Since 2008, the Abigail Women’s Clinic has sent out a mobile unit that sits on the corner of Crown and South Main streets in Princeton from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. the first and third Wednesday of each month.
The Abigail Women’s Clinic will host its sixth annual fundraising banquet beginning at 6 p.m. Sept. 23 at Celebrations 150 in Utica. Featured speaker is Gail McWilliams. If you are interested in attending or have questions, call 815-538-3044 or visit abigailwc@frontier.com. RSVP by Sept. 10. The dinner is for adults only and is free, but donations will be accepted.
