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Peggy Hartshorn Shares Her Story and Heartbeat’s Story: “God doesn’t call the equipped, He equips the called.”

Heartbeat President Peggy Hartshorn, Ph.D., shares her personal story on Focus on Life Radio Show with Cheryl Ringuette Ciamarra. This show spotlights the numerous long-time pro-life leaders who have come together to form Stop the Abortion Mandate Coalition. Listen to Peggy’s interview

Peggy became involved in the pro-life movement soon after the U.S. Supreme Court decision Roe v. Wade on January 22, 1973.

Peggy and her husband joined the local Right to Life group, and they began housing pregnant women in their home in 1974. They founded Pregnancy Decision Health Centers (PDHC) in Columbus, Ohio, on January 22, 1981. Peggy served as Chairman of the Board for over 20 years. Under her leadership, PDHC became one of the first pregnancy centers to offer ultrasound services and grew to five locations, serving over 15,000 hotline and office clients annually.

Peggy joined the Board of the first pregnancy center affiliation organization in the U.S.A., “Alternatives to Abortion International,” in 1986. That organization is now Heartbeat International. Peggy became the first full-time President of Heartbeat International in 1993. At that time Heartbeat had about 250 affiliates. It is now the largest network of life-affirming, volunteer ministries in the world, with nearly 1,100 affiliated service groups in the U.S.A., Canada, and 47 other countries. Heartbeat is a Christian association of pregnancy help center, maternity homes, nonprofit adoption agencies, life-affirming medical clinics and abortion recovery programs.

Peggy was formerly a college English professor (with a Master’s and Ph.D. from the Ohio State University). She is the author of several manuals and many articles on pregnancy center development and ministry.

The apostolate of Heartbeat International calls Peggy to travel extensively, sharing her “hands on” experience at seminars, conferences, and consultations. Peggy has delivered programs on abortion, post-abortion, chastity, adoption, and the alternatives-to-abortion movement to many organizations. She has traveled and taught throughout the U.S.A, Canada, Australia, Eastern and Western Europe, Africa, and Asia. Peggy traveled through Africa from July 31 to August 16, 2009.

“It’s great to see God’s people working together and helping one another and we have an immediate connection because God’s has called us and placed this on our heart,” said Peggy.