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I was at work when I heard the news that Roe had been overturned.
I was in disbelief. It felt like such a betrayal. Yes, I was aware of the possibility the Court would overturn Roe. When I’m running a company, I catalog risks regularly, and this one I’d cataloged as unlikely.
Once you make progress on legal rights, you aren’t supposed to go back. But it happened, and Missouri banned abortion that same day.
I moved to Missouri more than 30 years ago for pharmacy school. I went on to have a family and serve as president of a major health care company in St. Louis. My husband and I have two daughters, ages 16 and 19. I’d felt blessed to raise my family and build an amazing career in this state.
But on that summer day in 2022, Missouri women were dealt a blow. How could I live in a state that does not honor my relationship with my doctor? How do I ensure our daughters are able to get the health care they need when they need it? I had so many questions.
The simple truth is that our daughters would probably be okay because we have the financial means to ensure they have access to whatever care they need. But that’s not fair and it wasn’t comforting.
The ability to get the care one needs shouldn’t depend on how lucky they are to live in close proximity to a state that protects basic reproductive health care or how much money they have to travel.
Since Roe fell, I have had countless conversations with people from all walks of life about the situation in Missouri. From hourly employees to CEOs of businesses headquartered in Missouri. And those conversations reflect a strong desire to end the abortion ban.
Prior to 2022, abortion had not been a topic of discussion for me with my friends or family or professional colleagues. I soon learned how many people would share my determination to do whatever it takes to right this wrong. I’m a woman of action and have never shied away from fighting for what’s right, and yet this felt daunting. What I knew for sure was that the politicians got it wrong. They didn’t represent the views of the people I interacted with nor the other business leaders in the state.
Missouri’s attack on women’s health has a far-reaching impact. Certainly on the citizens of our state, but also on the business community as it attempts to recruit talent into Missouri from across the country and internationally.
I can’t imagine having a high risk pregnancy and living in Missouri. Or having a miscarriage in Missouri. How can I ask a woman of reproductive age or her partner to come here for a job in Missouri? How can I hope my own daughters might build their families and careers in Missouri?
This is the current reality, but we can change it. My friend is an obstetrician who now has to send patients to Illinois for what was once basic care. She introduced me to the campaign by Missourians for Constitutional Freedom to get an initiative petition on the 2024 Missouri ballot that would enshrine the protection of reproductive rights in our Constitution.
I had found my people. I asked how to help and they said introduce us to the people you know in the business community. Done.
Help us raise money so that we can have a successful campaign. Done (well, not done but we are off to the races). Collect signatures for the ballot initiative in raging wind outside a Dropkick Murphys concert. Sure thing.
There is so much work to do and the stakes are high. It feels good to be taking action to undo what politicians have stolen from women in Missouri. We have momentum and I am optimistic. I am proud to be part of a movement that will continue to make me proud to raise my family in this state and feel as though I can encourage others to do the same. I encourage you to join me in the fight.
Amy Bricker is a former president at Express Scripts.