As many of you are aware, I've participated as a walker and fundraiser in the Susan G. Komen 3Day for the Cure for the last two years. This year, I planned to walk again to support a cause that I believed in. To say that I am disappointed with the Susan G. Komen Foundation is a major understatement. I do not agree at all with their decision to stop awarding funds to Planned Parenthood. I have been trying to wrap my head around this for the last 24 hours, and I'm still not sure how this decision will affect my personal involvement going forward. Two days ago, I was excited about planning fundraisers to help meet my $10,000 goal. Today, I'm trying to decide whether or not I want to continue to participate at all. At this moment, I feel that I can not continue to support an organization who made such an important decision that I am so adamantly opposed to. This is a big decision, and I'm trying hard to give it the proper amount of time, thought and research that it deserves.
My position on this issue has become more clear to me as the shock wears off and I have had time to have good discussions and really think about it. I think that at best, Komen is bending to political pressure, which I am already upset with, and totally disagree with. At worse, they are taking a political stance which would make me even more upset. The wheels are turning now, and I'm determined as ever to fight the fight. Stay tuned....
Wednesday, February 01, 2012
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Ask for the facts then make your decision. Look at where Planned Parenthood puts their dollars and what is the most effective form of early breast cancer screening (mammography). That money needs to go to clinics that provide mammograms or Planned Parenthood should use the money to get mammography machines. From the Weekly Standard:
Last spring, Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards went on CNN and claimed that if Congress cut off funding to Planned Parenthood "millions of women are going to lose access, not to abortion services, to basic family planning, you know, mammograms." But as pro-life activist Lila Rose documented in a video, Planned Parenthood does not provide mammograms.
This story is worth recalling in light of the news this week that the Susan G. Komen foundation, one of the nation's largest breast cancer charities, has cut off funding (more than $600,000) to Planned Parenthood. Cecile Richards wrote that the foundation's decision to "end its support of lifesaving breast cancer screening at Planned Parenthood health centers comes as a blow to women across America."
But as Nancy Brinker, founder and CEO of Komen foundation, says in a video, Komen came out with a new set of standards this year designed to free up dollars for "higher impact programs."
"Wherever possible, we want to grant to the provider that is actually providing the lifesaving mammogram," she said.
It is true that Planned Parenthood does not perform mammograms. They provide screening and referrals for mammograms. During the past five years, Komen Affiliate grants to Planned Parenthood have paid for the following:
Breast cancer and breast health education for nearly 160,000 women
139,000 clinical breast exams
4,866 mammograms
Detection of 177 breast cancers
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