Having grown up in the 1960s, with some of her earliest memories shaped by the civil rights movements of that era, Dr. Wheeler considers herself a daughter of the women’s rights movement. So, when she entered the medical field and was given the option to ‘opt-in’ to learning how to perform abortions—presented to her as a women’s rights issue—she didn’t hesitate to participate. It wasn’t until one fateful day, as Dr. Wheeler clocked in to perform an abortion, that she sat down to begin the procedure and had an epiphany: this was a human life.
Entering the Medical Field
Catherine Wheeler was one of 11 children in a large, loving family with faithful Christian parents. Life in the 1960s and 70s was simpler in some ways, but it was also a time of significant justice movements. “I had a real heart for people who were hurting,” she recalled.
This innate compassion naturally led her to pursue a career in the medical field. But while in school, her carefully planned path took an unexpected turn—she discovered she was pregnant. “I’d eaten the feminine narrative that says you can’t have a child and a career,” she admitted. “I was crying, saying my life was over, and my friend said, ‘This is amazing—you’re going to be a good mom.’”
Thankfully, no one mentioned abortion as an option. Instead, her dean, friends, and family all supported her.
Choosing OB/GYN
After the birth of her son, Dr. Wheeler’s perspective on motherhood shifted entirely. What she once feared would ruin her life became one of her greatest blessings. “They lied to me. (about being a mother) This is amazing,” she said.
Soon after, her professional path became deeply intertwined with her personal transformation. “The first rotation I did after having my son was OB/GYN. I cried during the first delivery I saw, and I was so taken by the miracle. I was in love with women and OB/GYN—it became a true passion for me.”
It wasn’t until her residency that Dr. Wheeler was confronted with the choice to perform abortions.
Opting in to Perform Abortions
After completing medical school, Dr. Wheeler entered her residency at the University of Utah. It was during this residency that Dr. Wheeler and her fellow medical students were first given a choice to opt into becoming abortion doctors. This was framed as a matter of human and women’s rights at the time. Having a high value of compassion for women, Dr. Wheeler chose to opt in, believing fully what she was told—that this was essential healthcare for women.
“There’s pride to doing them. Like you’re one of the people who will step in and help women. That’s the narrative. That you’re the person who will help a woman, but it’s really twisted,” she added.
Interestingly, things have shifted in the years since. Today, abortions are an expectation in medical training, requiring residents who object to actively opt-out. “The pressure is much higher now,” she shared.
During her residency, Dr. Wheeler was trained in performing second-trimester abortions. When she eventually went on to have her own private practice, she decided she would not perform abortions regularly but instead would make exceptions for patients who asked her under special circumstances.
That is, until one day, Dr. Wheeler had a divine encounter during an abortion and was confronted with the truth.
The Abortion that Changed Everything
One day, a pregnant 16-year-old girl, accompanied by her mother, entered Dr. Wheeler’s office. Both were in tears, overwhelmed by fear and uncertainty. “Here she is with her mom, crying that her life’s over,” Dr. Wheeler recalled. Feeling the weight of their desperation, she agreed to perform the abortion.
However, what happened during the procedure changed everything.
“God stopped me in the middle of the abortion,” she said. “At the time, I didn’t understand it. I started the abortion and almost immediately felt this complete presence of evil. It was a darkness—physically dark to me and evil dark. I realized nobody else was aware. I remember sitting there thinking, ‘This has to do with the abortion.’”
At that moment, an undeniable awareness overcame her. “I suddenly had the complete awareness of what I had blocked off—this was a baby. I was about to kill a human being.”
Despite this profound realization, Dr. Wheeler had to finish the procedure to protect the woman’s health. But in her heart, she made a vow. “I didn’t tell anybody about it. I thought, ‘Nobody is going to understand this, but I know it’s evil, and I won’t do it again.’”
This moment became a turning point in Dr. Wheeler’s life and career, marking the start of her journey away from abortion to becoming a mouthpiece for the sanctity of life.
From Abortion Doctor to Pro-Life Advocate
Fifteen years after performing her last abortion, Dr. Wheeler met the Lord, and He began to heal her heart. “God brought up abortion and dealt with all the justifications I had over a period of about five or six years,” she said.
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After moving to Colorado, she was shocked by the state’s excessive abortion laws. “Colorado is so extreme—no regulation, no licensing, no oversight,” she said. It was then that God called her into life-affirming work. She completed the Colson Fellowship, where she found clarity in her mission and connected with life advocate Giuliana Day. “I reached out to ask if I could help. She told me, ‘You have to start talking.’”
Now, Dr. Wheeler is committed to using her voice to share the truth with the world about abortion. Exposing the lies told both to the women who choose abortion and to the doctors who perform them.
Why You Should Pray for Abortion Doctors
Dr. Wheeler’s story represents God’s power to redeem and transform. Her prayer is that more doctors will experience the exact moment of truth she did—a moment when they recognize the evil of taking a human life and vow never to perform an abortion again.
We are on a mission to change the culture so that everyone knows the truth about abortion and to ensure that no woman or medical professional believes the lie that abortion is healthcare. But we need your help to make this possible.
Will you join us in this mission? Your donation allows us to reach more women and doctors and transform lives through the truth of God’s grace and mercy.
