In honor of the 37th anniversary of Roe v. Wade, the Students for Reproductive Justice hosted a presentation at the Earle Mack School of Law on Jan. 21 by Susan Schewel, executive director of the Women's Medical Fund, a Philadelphia non-profit that provides financial assistance to women who want, but can’t afford an abortion.

With the prohibitive cost of abortion, and virtually no assistance from Medicaid unless a woman has been raped or faces serious medical complications, the Women's Medical Fund helps the "most vulnerable of the vulnerable," said Schewel.

Highlighting the stories of women aided by the organization, Schewel also detailed the services provided by WMF including a hotline, directory of abortion providers and information on judicial bypass assistance for underage women.

Founded in 1985, the WMF has helped more than 12,000 women obtain abortions in southeastern Pennsylvania with funding from private donors and foundation grants.

"We ask women to come up with as much money as possible and we make up the difference," Schewel said about the WMF's financial assistance policy.

"We work so hard to raise that money," she said.

For more information about the Women's Medical Fund, visit www.womensmedicalfund.org.