The US speaker is visiting Australia during September and has been in Sunraysia since yesterday.

Ms Ohden survived a failed saline injection abortion in 1977 and is now sharing her story across Sunraysia at schools and forums over her two-day visit.

Her mother was given the abortion treatment – no longer used – in the 1970’s and five days later Ms Ohden was delivered by a nurse and initially left for dead.

She was eventually provided with medical care that sustained her fragile life.

Ms Ohden’s mother believed she was around 18 weeks pregnant but doctors thought she was closer to 24-28 weeks when Melissa was delivered.

Ms Ohden said doctors were doubtful whether she would survive let alone function properly.

“They believed for many years I wouldn’t live for very long or that I may have a disability,” Ms Ohden said.

She was adopted and during her teenage years found out the story of her birth.

“I use to drive past the hospital clenching the wheel of my car in anger until I delivered my baby girl there in 2008.

For more of this story, purchase your copy of Wednesday’s Sunraysia Daily 08/09/2010.