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Patient testimony: Kate Deneen says Massachusetts's limit forced her to seek care out of state
Summary
Kate Deneen, speaking in her personal capacity, described learning at nearly 33 weeks that her fetus had suffered a catastrophic stroke and said Massachusetts's 24-week cutoff forced the family to travel out of state for care and pay thousands.
Kate Deneen, who identified herself as president and CEO of A Better City but spoke in a personal capacity, told the signing that in 2021 she was nearly 33 weeks pregnant when an ultrasound revealed a catastrophic fetal injury. She said physicians in Massachusetts were constrained by a 24-week state limit and advised the family that termination might be possible only if they could travel.
"You may still be able to explore termination if you're able to travel," Deneen recalled doctors telling her. She said the family traveled to Washington, D.C., and she became severely ill on the journey home. Deneen and her husband, Alex Lawton, described arranging childcare, driving long hours and incurring thousands of dollars in costs to get care they said should have been available in-state.
Deneen and others at the ceremony said the bill signing removes what they called an arbitrary cutoff so patients and doctors can make time-sensitive medical decisions without government interference.
