Woman's New Life Clinic
From Our Blog
Always Love
Introducing our 2018 Gala for Life Honoree, Dawn Delahoussaye Orr.
With her personal motto of “always love,” Dawn has become a source of life and strength for our staff as we carry out our work with women in need. In a sense, she has been a mother to us, always loving us through simple gestures and profound guidance.
We first met Dawn when she began joining us for Mass several years ago at our former Metairie office. Her motherly spirit shone brightly as she brought with her Kensie, her beautiful granddaughter who is severely disabled from a devastating case of meningitis. Over the next year, we witnessed and were heartened by Dawn’s touching interactions with Kensie each morning. This unconditional, self-sacrificing love embodied the life-affirming work we set out to do each day in our office.
In 2015 Dawn joined our Board of Directors. In her humility, she did not understand why she was invited to be on our board, but for the next three years she allowed the Lord to work through her as she served in her own quiet, motherly way. In fact, Dawn connected us with several key supporters over those years, and as one of ten children herself, Dawn practically doubled our attendance at the Gala by simply extending invitations to her family.
When we moved into our Claiborne Avenue building, Dawn became a mother to us again as she has kept our staff kitchen stocked with snacks, coffee, and tea, a gesture so simple and yet profoundly covered in love. In each care package she includes a note of prayer and support, a reminder of the community of prayer that carries us through our difficult work.
This past February, Dawn was diagnosed with stage IV pancreatic cancer and has carried her maternal self-sacrifice into her sickness. Throughout her struggle, she has held fast to her personal mission to always love, two beautiful words that close any note from her. In one of her weekly reflections, which she shares with several members of the community, she explained:
“I always close my reflections with ‘always love’… because God commanded us to love one another… Love cannot be in its best form without the love of God. God is love and therefore love is fully encompassing God.”
Thus, we could not be more excited to honor Dawn at this year’s Gala for Life for her vibrant and profound living out of her mission to always love.
At WNLC we strive to empower women in their role as mothers. Dawn has been a beautiful witness to the impact a mother can have not just on her family but on her whole community. Through her relationship with her own family, which she has always placed first, and through her involvement with our ministry, we honor Dawn for being a witness of the Lord’s love to a broken world.
Join us as we honor Dawn at this year’s Gala for Life.