THE CROWD -- B.W. Cook

Newport Beach activist Pat Cox was honored last week for 25 years of

service to and support of Planned Parenthood. A luncheon held at the

Center Club in Costa Mesa attracted a full house of some 100 Newport-Mesa residents who are committed to funding support for comprehensive

reproductive health education for young people.

The event featured a photo retrospective of a local wing of Planned

Parenthood known as Friends For. Longtime patrons honored included Molly

Lyon and Sandy Wright, in addition to Cox.

Kim Custer, spokeswoman for Planned Parenthood of Orange and San

Bernardino Counties, said, “Last year, funding provided by Friends For

members helped Planned Parenthood’s health education department provide

prevention education and reproductive health care awareness outreach to

over 9,000 people in the Orange County community.”

The luncheon gathering also featured a presentation by the Planned

Parenthood Male Involvement Program, which has grown in stature in recent

years and has become a significant tool used to educate young men.

Planned Parenthood is not just about the women’s role. Destine Tevel,

program coordinator for the Male Involvement Program, was on hand for the

presentation, sharing views with concerned local guests.

Friends For Planned Parenthood board members include the Rev. Steve

Mather, Dr. Richard Jonas, Dr. Jane Bening, Pamela Bryant, Janice

Johnson, Donna Barasch, Bonnie Ahrens and Chairman Martin Weinberg of

Lido Isle.

Major Newport-Mesa community support comes from Jackie Ballard, Joann

Larson, Nora Lehman, Jerri Mirrams, Patti Von Henkle and Phyllis Wallace.

All of the women, including honoree Cox, have served as past presidents

of Friends For Planned Parenthood.

The luncheon tribute raised a net amount of $11,500 to support the

educational programs. Planned Parenthood, the largest nonprofit

reproductive health care organization in the world, was founded in 1921.

The local Orange and San Bernardino counties charter began in 1966, and

today operates eight medical centers and additional offices catering to

outreach and education services for teens.

Custer reports that last year Planned Parenthood of Orange and San

Bernardino Counties served nearly 30,000 patients who made more than

59,700 visits to the various medical centers.

Among the challenges Planned Parenthood faces is the resurgence of

certain diseases in the teen community. HIV and AIDS are a major problem,

with statistics reporting an alarming increase in the disease among teens

of both sexes. Chlamydia is at epidemic proportions among teens ages 15

to 19.

Because chlamydia is often asymptomatic, teens may not even be aware

of the presence of the disease, passing it on during unprotected sexual

contact.

“This disease changes young lives forever,” Custer said. “It can leave

a young woman sterile. It can damage her health for life.”

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