Kim, whose last name was withheld for her protection, is a Tennessee resident and a volunteer pilot.
She decided to help people in need of medical attention, particularly for abortions, after more than a dozen states had enacted near-total abortion bans, while eight others had restricted gender-affirming care.
Kim was particularly affected when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which had legalized abortion across the United States in 1973.
Tennessee woman becomes a volunteer pilot
According to TODAY, Kim's husband was supportive of her decision to help people in need of medical care.
They discovered Elevated Access, an organization that provides transport services for patients requiring medical care out of state.
The organization requires volunteer pilots to have at least 200 flight hours. Kim had logged 200.8 hours and signed up for Elevated Access immediately.
Kim had an abortion nine years ago when she was a single mom, just starting over with her new career.
During the procedure, a nurse who had undergone an abortion twice comforted her. Since then, Kim has been haunted by the fear of anti-abortion activists and the risks abortion clinic workers face.
Since 1977, there have been 11 cases of anti-abortion activists killing abortion workers and 26 cases of attempted killings, according to the National Abortion Federation.
There have also been 42 bombings and 194 arsons at abortion clinics. After speaking to her husband about how they could help people, Kim shared her abortion story for the first time.
She decided to help those in need and help them access the medical care they require. According to her, her sole intention is to assist them in reaching their desired destination.
Abortion restrictions across the United States
Since the Roe v. Wade ruling was reversed, legal battles over abortion have erupted across the United States.
According to Guttmacher, in June 2022, the Supreme Court granted states free rein to ban pregnancy terminations.
More than a dozen Republican-led states have now banned all or nearly all abortions.
Access to abortion pills has become a subject of legal controversy, particularly in light of several states passing trigger bans set to take effect if abortion protections are eliminated.
In Texas, opponents of abortion are working to prevent the nationwide availability of mifepristone, a medication utilized in the early termination of pregnancies.
Given the growing difficulty in accessing medical services, individuals such as Kim, who volunteers as a pilot, are playing a vital role in helping those in need.
Kim's story highlights the challenges that women face in accessing medical care in a political climate that restricts abortion access. She has used her experience to help others, ensuring that they can obtain the medical care they require.
With abortion access increasingly limited in the United States, her work is more important than ever.
Kim is an example of how ordinary people can help others in extraordinary ways, and her work is a reminder that access to medical care is a fundamental right that should be available to everyone.
As per Context, the following states have banned abortion: Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Wyoming, and Wisconsin.
