A helping hand: A school nurse offers a desperate young mother compassion

I remember going to my first year of high school feeling hungry, isolated, and afraid. At lunchtime, the smells of the food in the cafeteria were overwhelmingly enticing. It only made my stomach hurt more, knowing I didn't have the money to purchase any food for myself or my unborn child. My parents had employed the tactic of starvation to try to convince me to abort my baby.

I started going to my school nurse during lunch so that I could lie down on one of the cots and avoid the fragrant smells of food. After lunch was over, I'd tell the nurse I felt better and return to class. Once a few days of this had passed, she asked me what was going on.