KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) – Melissa Ohden was born premature. She always knew that. She was adopted and she always knew that too.

She was 14 years old when she learned her birth was the result of a failed saline infusion abortion back in 1977. She weighed less than three pounds.

“There is nothing that prepares you for a moment like that. There’s so many questions of, how does it happen? Why did it happen? Does that mean I’m so unlovable, I’m so unworthy,” said Melissa Ohden.

Ohden is the author of the book “You Carried Me” which outlines her journey of self-discovery and healing.

She eventually tracked down medical records documenting the failed procedure which led her to connect with her birth mother who also lives in the Kansas City area.

“She lives in Missouri. My birth mom, Ruth, lives in Odessa. I have a half-sister, Jennifer, and her kids that live in Blue Springs,” said Melissa.

Melissa says her birth mother never knew she was born alive and suspects her birth father didn’t know either. She wrote him a letter, but he died shortly after she sent it.

“My birth father passed away not long after I sent him a letter back in 2007, and I don’t know if he knew that I had survived that abortion,” said Melissa.

Abortion Survivors

Melissa now runs the Abortion Survivors Network. She says many people don’t have documentation backing up their birth stories. It’s mostly family secrets that are handed down. Survivors often struggle when learning the truth.

Not every state keeps track of efficacy- meaning did the procedure work?

Missouri included that information in its last annual abortion report in 2022. The information is in the “abortion complication section.”

It states that 12 abortions “failed, pregnancy undisturbed.”

Planned Parenthood’s own website reveals the effectiveness of medication abortions by how many weeks a woman is into her pregnancy and the combination of medications prescribed. The effectiveness is anywhere from 87% to 99% effective.

Saline-infused abortions are now quite rare due to side effects and the procedure requires hospitalization. More effective procedures are now available.

Upcoming Amendment 3 vote

Melissa has strong feelings about the upcoming Amendment 3 vote. She will vote “no.”

Click here to read the exact language.

“I want people to read through this language and be educated about it, to know what the impact of a yes or a no vote on it would be,” said Melissa.

She questions what limits will be in place if Missouri chooses abortion services. She also points next door to Kansas which now provides abortion services for women from numerous states. She does not want Missouri to be a major abortion provider.

She also points to her birth mother, Ruth and what she went through.

“There was a pain in her eyes that I will never, ever forget. And if there’s one thing I could change about my whole story, it would be her pain. I wish I could take that away from her,” said Melissa.

Copyright 2024 KCTV. All rights reserved.

The No. 2 Oregon Ducks’ win over Ohio State on Oct. 12 is still causing ripples in the recruiting world. Oregon coach Dan Lanning and the Ducks coaching staff have been in hot pursuit for the No. 2 tight end in the class of 2025 and their win over the Buckeyes improved their case as they look to flip the five star prospect.

Kansas State tight end commit Linkon Cure told On3 over the weekend that despite his commitment to the Wildcats, the Oregon coaching staff has been pushing heavily for Kansas native.

“Oregon has had consistent contact with me and my family,” Cure told On3. “They keep showing me love and support, which I greatly appreciate. They are doing a lot for me.”

Cure said that despite his firm commitment to the Wildcats, Oregon still remains on his mind.

“Everything about Oregon keeps them on my radar. I love that place and always will have love for it,” Cure said. “It could’ve been a very good place for me for personal reasons.”

Cure took an official visit to Eugene back in early June. According to On3, he is strongly considering taking a visit to Oregon on Nov. 9, when the Ducks take on Maryland at Autzen.

However, Kansas State fans shouldn’t fret too much, Cure also spoke at length about his commitment to the Wildcats.

“I get continuous support from the fans and I feel like that is where I can have an impact on a larger scale than football. I feel like my commitment is pretty strong. K-State is an amazing program and place. I took a lot of time and really thought through my process to come down to a decision.”

Earlier this month, Cure made an appearance on KCSN’s Verbal Commitment podcast and discussed where Oregon stands in his recruitment..

“Even on that official visit before going into K-State, it was Oregon at that point. They made it clear to me and it was clear with myself too. It was a tough decision,” Cure said.

Cure has led Goodland to a 4-2 record and has done it all for the Cowboys this season. Despite being listed as a tight end, Cure is the second leading rusher on the squad. He’s taken 29 carries for 191 yards and five touchdowns. Cure leads the team in receptions and receving yards with 33 catches and 568 yards. With 10 receiving touchdowns, he also leads the team with 15 total touchdowns.

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MCPHERSON, Kan. (KWCH) – Increased fire danger due to high winds and dry ground prompted the Kansas Forest Service to suggest that farmers in the state temporarily halt harvesting.

The Bishop family, farmers in Decatur County, know the threat from such conditions all too well. A rapidly spreading fire knocked out a couple of acres worth of pastureland.

“My daughters are driving age. They were out working on their learner’s permit hours, so they came back and parked in the tall grass like I’ve told them several times not to do because it’d cause a fire. And sure enough it did,” Canaan Bishop recalled of the fire that only took about 30 seconds to knock out two acres.

It’s a situation that he said could’ve been far worse, although it did destroy a vehicle.

“Any other direction, we would’ve lost horses, a camper, horse trailers, everything like that,” he said. “Nobody was hurt. It could’ve been a lot worse.”

The McPherson Fire Department echoed the importance of fire warnings and what to be aware of.

“Try not to do burns, make sure to check on controlled burns that you may have done earlier in the week. Make sure no fire pits are going, no burning trash,” McPherson Fire Department Division Chief Seth Graham said. “Cigarettes is a big thing, too. Don’t flick them out on the interstate or anywhere that could possibly start a fire.”

Graham added that running combines can also be more of a risk.

Bishop said the short-term sacrifice of spending a couple of days out of the fields is worth it in the long run compared with the risk of starting a potentially devastating fire. He said the dry ground, paired with the wind, is “a recipe for disaster.”

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