Former Planned Parenthood Director Abby Johnson, Undercover UCLA Student Activist Lila Rose to Speak

Contact: Dolores Meehan, 415-860-7899; Eva Muntean, 415-812-3101

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., Jan. 6 /Christian Newswire/ -- Two young women who stood on opposite sides of the abortion debate until a few months ago will headline the 6th Annual Walk for Life West Coast on January 23rd as more than 30,000 peaceful pro-life activists walk along San Francisco's water front.

Saturday, January 23, 2010
11 a.m. Rally
12 noon Walk
Justin Herman Plaza, San Francisco

"Abortion is wicked and hurts children, women and men -- our speakers this year directly address the huge financial and political clout of Planned Parenthood, the nation's largest abortion provider and recipient of $350 million in tax dollars annually," said Walk co-chair Eva Muntean. Planned Parenthood clinics perform about one third of all abortions in the United States, about 300,000 abortions in 2007-2008, according to Planned Parenthood's annual report released in 2009.

Former Planned Parenthood clinic director Abby Johnson and UCLA student activist Lila Rose will be joined by the David Bereit, national director of 40 Days for Life, a national prayer campaign outside abortion clinics. Five abortion facilities completely shut down and at least 26 clinic workers walked away from their jobs following local 40 Days for Life campaigns that drew 200,000 people who prayed and fasted in 50 states, Canada, Australia, Northern Ireland and Denmark. Bereit will receive the Walk's Gianna Molla Award.

"Abby Johnson walked away from her job as executive director of an abortion clinic because an abortion doctor asked her to hold the ultrasound probe and she witnessed a baby die in an abortion. Lila Rose's undercover work videotaping clinic workers colluding in apparent statutory rape has led to investigations in several states," said Muntean. The 40 Days for Life campaign was founded a few doors from Johnson's clinic in Bryan/College Station, Texas in 2004. Listen to an interview with Johnson here.

Rev. Clenard Childress, director of LEARN and BlackGenocide.org, a speaker since the Walk's inauguration in 2005, will rally the walkers. Irene Beltran, with Georgette Forney of Silent No More, and Jim Garlow, San Diego based evangelical pastor will also speak.

Founded in 2005, the Walk for Life West Coast's mission is to change the perceptions of a society that thinks abortion is an answer. For more information: walkforlifewc.com.