Identity of New Wichita Abortionist, Cheryl Chastine, Uncovered

Wichita, KS – Through an undercover investigation conducted by Operation Rescue, it has been learned that Chicago area abortionist Cheryl Chastine has made plans to fly to Wichita to provide abortions at South Wind Women’s Center, a proposed new abortion clinic located in George Tiller’s former abortion building on East Kellogg.

Chastine, 31, graduated from the University of Kentucky College of Medicine in 2009. She was first licensed to practice medicine in Illinois in August, 2011 and obtained licensure in Kansas on January 17, 2013. Chastine currently works at Total Wellness, Inc. in Oak Park, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago.

In what appears to be a “bait and switch” tactic, Chastine has filed to open a Professional Association under the name “Wichita Medical Center” at the same address as the proposed South Wind Women’s Center, operated by former Tiller lobbyist Julie Burkhart, who has no medical license or training.

Kansas law requires that clinics that provide medical services be owned by licensed providers. (K.S.A. 17-2706)

“It appears that there will be a public name for clinic and a secret name under which Chastine and perhaps others will operate,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue and Pro-Life Nation. “This raises legal questions that we are now exploring. The whole thing is less than above board, to say the least.”

In recording made by an investigator posing as a reporter, Chastine she appears to have very little understanding of Kansas law, which requires that the name of the physician be given to women at least 24 hours before an abortion and be listed on the informed consent document, which is usually downloaded from the clinic’s web site.

“I had been hoping not to be mentioned by name,” Chastine said. She seemed completely unprepared for the fact that someone would eventually discover her identity.

“Ms. Chastine apparently thinks she can come to Wichita, kill babies surreptitiously then return home to her non-abortion patients in Chicago with no one the wiser. Now, we’ve uncovered her shadow business that will operate under a secret name at a facility that is not properly sanctioned,” said Newman. “These duplicitous business transactions coupled with her shocking inexperience as a licensed physician raise questions about whether her shady business dealings will be a reflection of what we can expect from her abortion practices.”

It was widely reported that South Wind Women’s Center would open sometime this week, but given the legal questions raised by Chastine’s secret abortion clinic and Burkhart’s unlicensed one, that may not be a sure thing.

Listen to the undercover recording:

Read documents obtained under the Kansas Open Records Act

Alabama Health Board Sues to Halt Illegal Abortion Clinic

Birmingham, AL — Just one week after a coalition of pro-life groups led by Fr. Terry Gensemer of CEC for Life publicly questioned why the Alabama Department of Health was allowing a dangerous illegal abortion clinic to operate in Birmingham, the State Board of Health has filed civil suit in a Jefferson County Court to permanently close the clinic.

The suit, filed against clinic owner Diane Derzis and abortionists Patrick Smith and Bruce Elliot Norman, seeks to close the New Woman All Women abortion clinic, now operating illegally as “Women’s Center,” and permanently enjoin the trio from any future involvement in abortion businesses anywhere in the State of Alabama.

“It is only because of public pressure being brought to bear that the ADPH has finally acted to enforce the laws of Alabama and protect the public from a shoddy abortion operation that poses a proven danger to the public,” said Troy Newman, President of Operation Rescue and Pro-Life Nation. “This shows that vigilance and quick action by pro-life groups working together can have a positive effect of officials who are otherwise reticent to deal with the subject of abortion.”

Operation Rescue, CEC for Life, Life Legal Defense Foundation, and Priests for Life, discovered that NWAW had quietly reopened and resumed abortions even though its license to operate had been revoked last year and two attempts to relicense the facility by one of Derzis’ close friends were denied.

Alabama law requires that any facility advertizing abortion services must be licensed by the State. Since its closure, NWAW has maintained its web site, which solicits abortion patients. It was the number on this site that an Operation Rescue investigator called on March 8, 2013, and scheduled an abortion with “Dr. Bruce.”

Allison Aranda of Life Legal Defense Foundation had notified ADPH Assistant General Counsel Brian Hale that the abortion clinic was operating in violation of the law. At first, Hale refused to respond, but last week, during a press conference to publicly expose the illegal abortion operation, Hale released a press statement indicating that NWAW was again under investigation.

That investigation resulted in yesterday’s filing and request for permanent injunction. The suit asked or for proceedings to be expedited, but as of this writing, no hearing date has been set.

On January 21, 2012, pro-life activists photographed two abortion patients being carried out of the abortion clinic down broken stairs to ambulances waiting in a trash strewn alley. 911 calls obtained by the groups revealed that a clinic worker had overdosed the women.

Activists filed complaints with the ADPH, which prompted a facility inspection that uncovered 76 pages of violations, many of which were repeat offenses, as well as a third botched abortion victim that was hospitalized in intensive care on the same day the other two patients were rushed to emergency rooms.

The clinic entered an agreement to close the clinic and surrender its license on May 18, 2012. The agreement prohibited Derzis and Norman from further participation in the abortion business.

Derzis has also made headlines as the owner of Jackson Women’s Health Center, the last abortion clinic in Mississippi, which also faces closure for lack of compliance with a new law that requires abortionists to maintain local hospital privileges.

Read the Complaint

Action Needed! Wichita Electrician Working to Help Proposed Abortion Mill

Wichita, KS – Operation Rescue has obtained the first construction permit pulled for a proposed new abortion business in Wichita, Kansas. The permit, issued on January 31, 2013, indicates that Air Capital Electric is doing work on the building which once housed George Tiller’s infamous late-term abortion clinic.

Former Tiller employee Julie Burkhart purchased the old Tiller clinic last year and is attempting to open another abortion business there, called South Wind Women’s Center. Operation Rescue has been working behind the scenes through legal avenues to prevent the abortion clinic from opening.

“We are concerned that the folks that run Air Capital Electric may not understand that their work is helping this abortion business to open and kill pre-born babies. This makes it an abortion collaborator,” said Cheryl Sullenger, Senior Policy Advisor for Operation Rescue. “We are asking people to respectfully call and ask Air Capital Electric to stop working for Julie Burkhart and the proposed South Wind Women’s Center.”

Please contact Air Capital Electric and ask them to halt work on the new abortion clinic in Wichita.
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