Incarcerated Women: Cancer in Prison
Facing breast cancer is scary enough, but learning you have cancer while incarcerated comes with its own set of problems. Pamela Lorenz, an inmate in the Washington Correctional Center for women, found the lack of support groups and privacy as the most challenging parts of facing breast cancer in prison. She shares her story with KBCS’s Yuko Kodama.
Photo by WCCW and Yuko Kodama
Producers Yuko Kodama and Ruth Bly
Incarcerated Women: Pregnant Behind Bars
Being pregnant is a vulnerable time for a woman. But Imagine the thought of going into labor while incarcerated and the thought of handing your newborn over to the foster care system? Abigail Blue is the former executive director of The Birth Attendants: Prison Doula Project, which closed over 5 years ago, saw the plight of incarcerated pregnant women on a daily basis. During Washington state’s last legislative session, Governor Inslee signed a bill allowing volunteer midwives and doulas to be able to give incarcerated women pre-birth counseling and help them prepare for the temporary loss of their child. The bill takes effect June 7th, 2018.
