Upper Hudson Planned Parenthood said it has been receiving “expressions of concern and anger from supporters” regarding a television ad scheduled to run during the Super Bowl Sunday. University of Florida Gators football player Tim Tebow appears with his mother, Pam Tebow, who decided more than 20 years ago to carry her high-risk pregnancy to term.

   Planned Parenthood of the Upper Hudson is joining with other Planned Parenthoods across the country in refusing to protest the airing of the ad, which is sponsored by the pro-life group Focus on the Family.

   “Pam Tebow’s story is an example of a woman given the opportunity to make a difficult and critical choice about whether or not to continue a pregnancy. That is exactly what Planned Parenthood stands for,” Patricia McGeown, president and CEO of the Upper Hudson chapter, said in a statement.

   Cecile Richards, president of the Planned Parenthood Federation of America, said in a statement that Focus on the Family opposes a “woman’s ability to make important medical decisions for herself” and is against “commonsense comprehensive sex education and life-saving stem cell research.” The group has an agenda that is out of sync with mainstream America, she added.

    “If Focus on the Family, the sponsor of the ad about the Tebow family, has its way, millions of women would no longer be able to make important personal medical decisions for themselves and their families when it comes to abortion, Richards said. “Focus on the Family’s long-stated goal is to outlaw abortion except in rare cases when the woman’s life is severely at risk. This is an extreme position, which would rob every woman of the ability to make important personal medical decisions for herself and her family.”

    “Planned Parenthood urges all Americans to ponder the true meaning of the Tebow family’s experience – one in which a woman was presented with medical and moral considerations and made a deeply personal decision in private without government interference. That is exactly what we want every woman to be able to do when she must make important and highly personal medical decisions,” Richards said.

   Here is Focus on the Family’s press release on the commercial:

Focus on the Family to Air Super Bowl Ad

Commercial will feature Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam

Colorado Springs, Colo (Friday, Jan. 15, 2010) – Focus on the Family will broadcast the first Super Bowl ad in its history February 7 during CBS Sports’ coverage of the game at Dolphin Stadium in South Florida.

The 30-second spot from the international family-help organization will feature college football star Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam. They will share a personal story centered on the theme of “Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life.”

Jim Daly, president and CEO of Focus on the Family, said the chance to partner with the Tebows and lift up a meaningful message about family and life comes at the right moment in the culture, because “families need to be inspired.”

“Tim and Pam share our respect for life and our passion for helping families thrive,” Daly said. “They live what we see every day – that the desire for family closeness is written on the hearts of every generation. Focus on the Family is about nurturing that desire and strengthening families by empowering them with the tools they need to live lives rooted in morals and values.”

Daly added that all the funds to air the ad came from a handful of “very generous and committed friends” who donated specifically to support the project. No money from the ministry’s general fund was used.

The Tebows said they agreed to appear in the commercial because the issue of life is one they feel very strongly about.

Daly chuckled at some of the “will-they-or-won’t-they?” speculation in the media about whether Focus would indeed create a Super Bowl ad.

“Now that the ad has been shot, we’re excited to tell people it’s coming, because the Tebows’ story is such an important one for our culture to hear,” he said. “You won’t want to miss it.”

For more information, call Gary Schneeberger @ 719-548-5853 or e-mail press@family.org