Contact: Amber Dolle, 40 Days for Life, 325-513-5857

MEDIA ADVISORY, March 8, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- "Recent abortion center closings have added momentum to the kickoff of the largest 40 Days for Life campaign in history -- which launches tomorrow in 247 cities across the United States and eight other countries," said Shawn Carney, campaign director of 40 Days for Life.

40 Days for Life, a 40-day campaign of prayer and fasting, peaceful vigil and community outreach, launches tomorrow at 247 locations in the United States, Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, Spain, Belize, Armenia and Georgia. This represents a 47% increase in the number of locations over last spring. The campaign will run through April 17.

"We know of nine abortion facilities where 40 Days for Life prayer vigils have been conducted that are now closed," said Carney, "and following other peaceful vigils, more abortion centers may soon be added to that list."

Just last week, Golden Gate Community Health, a collection of abortion facilities in the San Francisco Bay area that was once part of the Planned Parenthood network, announced it was shutting down -- at least temporarily, and possibly forever. That chain includes abortion centers in San Francisco and San Mateo where 40 Days for Life campaigns have been held, as well as three other locations.

In Columbia, Missouri, several peaceful 40 Days for Life vigils have been held outside a Planned Parenthood abortion center. Another prayer campaign is starting this week. Because of staffing issues, this location was unable to offer abortions for several months last year. Abortions resumed on an every-other-week basis in the fall, but now sources in Columbia say no abortions have taken place there since January 26.

"Abortions are only available right now at one place in the entire state of Missouri -- Planned Parenthood in St. Louis, where another 40 Days for Life vigil begins tomorrow," Carney said.

Since 40 Days for Life began as a national -- and then international -- effort in 2007, more than 400,000 people have participated and confirmed reports have documented that 3,599 babies have been saved from abortion. "When people respond to abortion as a local problem," said Carney, "they see the local results of a peaceful vigil: lives saved, hearts changed -- and abortion centers closed."

The list of participating communities is posted online at: www.40daysforlife.com/location.cfm.